Identifying impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on vulnerable populations

a mixed-methods approach

Abstract

As the Corona-Crisis unfolds, scholars around the world realize that the social contexts in which its transmission occurs deserve special attention. In this context, one of the main concepts social scientists should consider to help tackling this crisis is vulnerability. This paper proposes a methodology to study vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic in the city of Curitiba, one of the main Brazilian metropolises. The proposed methodology encompasses three different strategies, in a mixed-methods approach: i. In-depth telephone interviews with vulnerable people and community leaders who work with them; ii. Online surveys with the city’s general population; iii. Focus groups coupled with alternative scenarios methods involving key actors in the community life of the city. In addition to the research findings themselves, our methodology also envisages fostering initiatives by public authorities and civil society to mitigate the effects of the pandemic over vulnerable populations.