Disabled people from the outskirts of Sao Paulo: a study of their needs

In this study, it is showed the health demands and needs of people with disabilities who participated in a support group conducted in partnership with primary health care service, university and community center. We understand health needs as phenomena related to forms of production and reproduction of different social groups that can be identified by the recognition of different ways of working, consuming, living, and relating, as well as by the characteristics of the territory. Ten adults with disabilities participated in the group: six women and four men, all residents of a peripheral neighborhood of the city. Five of them presented intellectual disability, three were physically disabled, and two showed multiple disabilities. We conducted semi-structured interviews comprising questions on daily life activities, experiences in health and rehabilitation, education, work and community participation, with five members of the group, who were representative in terms of age, gender and disability. Studying; performing rehabilitation treatment at home; having adequate housing, food, employment, and social security benefits; being able to move, go out, and have conversations were the main needs presented. Historically and socially determined needs are part of both nature and culture of these individuals and relate not only to maintaining life, but also to the realization of a life project in which a person can have access to social rights. However, those people's needs also reflect their experience of social exclusion processes. Alternative care in rehabilitation can be implemented by health professionals based on the needs reported by people with disabilities and their families, who take active participation in existing community resources and assistance.