In the pandemic, favela residents of largest Brazilian cities changed health habits

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The pandemic of the new coronavirus has changed the health care habits of the inhabitants of the favelas with the highest economic potential in Brazil. According to research conducted by Outdoor Social, a research institute specialized in social class C, 60% of those interviewed have changed the way they buy and consume medicines.

Conducted in June, the survey heard 435 people in favelas in the cities of Porto Alegre, Curitiba, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Salvador, Recife, Fortaleza, São Luís, and Belém.

The survey pointed out that 51% of the interviewees started to consume vitamins as a supplement to strengthen their immune system; 13.3% said they started to stockpile medicines at home; and 6.1% said they had bought medicines not scientifically proven to prevent Covid-19. Only 39.4% of respondents claim that they have not changed their medicine-taking habits at all.

“Knowing that more than half of the respondents are consuming vitamin supplements shows how much health is also prioritized by people in the community,” said Emilia Rabello, founder of Outdoor Social.

Besides the demand for medicines, the population of the largest favelas in Brazil started to look more for public health care during the pandemic. In cases of health problems, 70% of those interviewed said they resorted to a public health center, while 8.4% went to the doctor in their health plan, and 17% sought the assistance of pharmacies to solve the problem.
Vaccination

The survey revealed that 59% of the people who live in the G10 favelas have not been vaccinated. Among those who have been vaccinated, 15.5% have both doses, and 25.5% only the first dose. The number is close to the reality in the whole country.

In the whole country, 13.13% of the Brazilian population received the second dose of the vaccine and 37.06% took the first dose, according to data compiled by the press consortium that gathers UOL, Folha de S.Paulo, O Estado de S. Paulo, O Globo, G1, and Extra.

In the age group sector, the study gives indications that the vaccination coverage in these communities is following the scheduled planning by age groups. Among those age 65 and over, 87.1% of the interviewees say they are immunized with both doses. 6.5% are partially immunized, with only one dose, and, 6.5% claim that they have not yet taken the vaccine.

“The Brazilian population yearns for immunization. Our people need to be safe to leave home to work or study, without the fear of contamination or possible complications,” explains Gilson Rodrigues, president of G10 Favelas and resident of the Paraisópolis favela in São Paulo.