Spatial distribution of specialized health services for people with disabilities in João Pessoa/PB: an analysis of access to health

Abstract

This article analyzes how the spatial distribution of outpatient services of the Care Network for People with Disabilities of the Unified Health System, in the city of João Pessoa/PB, interferes in the access to these institutions. Therefore, a qualitative methodological perspective was adopted, with the construction of maps of the location of these services, with analysis of vulnerability indicators of the different health districts of the city. We identified that the socioeconomic differences of the geographic space are related to the history of the city, resulting in a concentration of specialized services in a single district. Furthermore, the districts with the worst social indicators have a lower offer of specialized health services for people with disabilities. These analyzes point to challenges in the implementation of these health services in line with the principles and guidelines of the Unified Health System, specifically territorialization and equity, which demand planning of service offerings in order to guarantee geographic access to them.

Keywords:
Disabled Persons; Health Services Accessibility; Unified Health System