Keywords
vulnerability
sexual health
menstruation
health systems
Abstract
Homelessness is an extreme expression of social exclusion and human rights violations, associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and progressive deterioration of health. In Chile, women experiencing homelessness face specific risks due to the convergence of social inequalities, gender-based violence, and unmet sexual and reproductive health needs. This study aimed to understand the experiences and strategies related to women’s sexual and reproductive health among women experiencing homelessness in the Metropolitan Region during the second half of 2025. A qualitative study with a phenomenological approach was conducted. Ten women aged 30 to 50 years participated, with trajectories of homelessness ranging from 5 months to 24 years. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, then transcribed, anonymized, and thematically analyzed using MAXQDA. Findings were organized into three categories: knowledge of women’s health, self-care practices, and access to and linkage with the health system. A cross-cutting emotional component emerged, characterized by fear, uncertainty, and insecurity, associated with the risk of sexual violence, which conditions self-protective practices. Menstrual management was particularly critical due to lack of supplies, water, and privacy, forcing the use of improvised materials and generating physical and emotional discomfort. Although some knowledge of contraception was present, access was irregular and reproductive autonomy perceived as restricted. Stigma and discriminatory treatment within health services reinforced distrust and avoidance of care. It is concluded that these gaps reflect both material and relational barriers, underscoring the need for community-based, territorial, and intersectoral interventions grounded in gender and human rights approaches to ensure continuous, respectful, and dignified care.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Cristian Lermanda Peña, Slomith Muñoz Vargas, Valery Meza Rivas, Carina Muñoz Lara, Jimena Palma Díaz, Macarena Seguel Ligena