Diálogos sobre a Construção dos Itinerários Terapêuticos por Pessoas que Vivenciam Hanseníase

Abstract

Leprosy, neglected disease in Brazil, has been a public health problem. There is a tension for the elaboration of intervention proposals for prevention, control and minimization of the effects caused. The therapeutic itineraries built by the people who experience this condition contribute to the identification of good practices, as well as the points to be improved and perfected. Objetives: to understand the therapeutic itineraries of the population that experiences leprosy in the state of Piauí, in view of the need to understand the potential and weaknesses of the network. Methods: This is a qualitative design study guided by the interpretive paradigm. We conducted individual interviews based on a semi-structured script with thirteen people who were experiencing leprosy in the state of Piauí. The project was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Piauí (number 3,429,590). Results: the Primary Health Care units were mentioned as an important reference for welcoming cases and conducting health care. However, they presented weaknesses related to the diagnosis and preparation of professionals in the face of appropriate conduct. Conclusions: it is important to take into account the highlights mentioned in this study, as it proposes health care for people who experience leprosy. This includes reflection on the performance of health equipment, as well as the organization and functioning of network services, the definition of support and logistics systems and the adoption of protocols and flows. In this way, it is possible to verify the effectiveness of these health equipment in comprehensive patient care and to propose interventions aimed at improving this service.