SOCIAL DETERMINANTS AND ACCESS TO HEALTH SERVICES IN BRAZIL: CHALLENGES AND POSSIBILITIES

Abstract

Access to health services is one of the main challenges to ensuring the right to health in Brazil, being strongly influenced by social determinants. This study aimed to analyze scientific evidence on the influence of these determinants on access to health services in the Brazilian context. This is an integrative literature review conducted according to PRISMA 2020 guidelines, with searches carried out in PubMed/MEDLINE, LILACS, SciELO, Web of Science, and the Virtual Health Library. A total of 12 studies published in Portuguese addressing the relationship between social determinants and access to health services in Brazil were included. The findings showed that factors such as income, education, race, territory, and living conditions directly influence access to and use of health services, contributing to the persistence of health inequities. Although the Brazilian Unified Health System represents a significant advancement, structural, organizational, and sociocultural barriers remain. It is concluded that addressing these inequalities requires intersectoral strategies, strengthening public policies, and improving healthcare practices to build a more equitable and effective health system, in accordance with SUS principles.