Access to the right to health among families experiencing internal forced displacement: a community intervention from Social Work in Mazatlán, Sinaloa

Abstract

Internal forced displacement in Mexico has generated conditions of social exclusion that limit access to health services. In southern Sinaloa, displaced families face structural, administrative, territorial, and digital barriers that hinder their connection to the health system. The objective of this study was to analyze a community intervention experience developed in the CVIVE Housing Complex, aimed at strengthening access to health services among families experiencing internal forced displacement. The study was conducted using a qualitative approach through a case study involving 40 families residing in the housing complex. Semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and a sociodemographic form for descriptive purposes were used. The intervention included informational workshops, personalized counseling, and support in the affiliation processes to the IMSS-Bienestar program. The results show progress in initial access to health services: whereas at the beginning only 8% of the families had affiliation, by the end of the intervention 82% had managed to start or complete their registration. Likewise, knowledge about the procedures increased from 2% to 85%. However, barriers related to territorial mobility, the digital divide, and transportation costs persisted, limiting the effective use of services. It is concluded that the community intervention contributes to improving access conditions and strengthening collective capacities; however, the effective exercise of the right to health remains conditioned by structural factors.