Characteristics of the assistance to pilgrims in the National Sanctuary of Our Lady of Aparecida, São Paulo, Brazil, 2011-2014.

Carmo, Hercules de Oliveira; Valente, Tânia Cristina Oliveira

OBJECTIVE to describe the characteristics of the health assistance for pilgrims visiting the National Sanctuary of Our Lady of Aparecida and to investigate health care strategies in periods of peak of religious tourism. METHODS a descriptive study using outpatient medical records from 2011 to 2014, for a detailed analysis for the month of October 2014 and the operational documents for health care in periods of mass events in the medical clinic of the Sanctuary. RESULTS 95,011 people were assisted in the period, 2,266 in October 2014; the higher demand for assistance was from elderly individuals (33%), women (59%), and people from the Brazilian Southeast region (79%); there were no operational documents for specific actions for this period. CONCLUSION the large number of visitors, associated with the frequency of mass events and the absence of an operating plan, may pose a serious public health scenario for that region.