Armed Violence and Health in Latin America: Literature Review

The article aimed to analyze the presence of Armed Violence (AV) in Latin America (LA), in vulnerable spaces and its impacts on the health of the population. As a methodology, the authors adopted an integrative literature review with an analysis of 33 articles. AV in LA is associated with the colonization process, social inequalities, structural violence, military conflicts between organized crime and the State and homicides. It imposes difficulties in the performance of health professionals, interruption of care and therapeutic bonds, feelings of fear and frustration, psychological distress, stress and depression. It is concluded that the historical weight of Latin American colonization reifies the vulnerabilities in certain territories affected by the AV; this must be seen as a public health problem that requires the development of public policies to face it.