Therapeutic itineraries of people hospitalized for COVID-19 in the SUS: quantitative and qualitative study in the Federal District

Abstract

Studies on therapeutic itineraries reveal the models of care and decisions taken by people in situations of illness and can contribute to the planning of more effective health policies and services, especially in emergencies such as the covid-19 pandemic. The aim of this research was to describe the itineraries of patients hospitalized for covid-19 in a public hospital in the Federal District, Brazil, and explore associations with social determinants of health. This is an integrated case study, with triangulation of quantitative and qualitative evidence obtained from the analysis of raw data from a cohort of 233 adult patients hospitalized between May/2020 and December/2021. The majority were men, elderly, black or brown, with low income and education levels and multiple comorbidities, who sought care in specialized care and obtained quick access to the health system. The factors that influenced the choice of the first service sought were: occupation, region of residence, economic class and education. The determinants of ease of access were: type of service sought first, severity of the case and socioeconomic context. The results confirm the influence of social determinants on illness experiences and can support reflections related to the organization of access to the SUS in health emergencies.