Leprosy: an approach from the perspective of health promotion

• Autor(a) principal: Baldan, Sueli Santiago
• Data de Publicação: 2012
• Outros Autores: Santos, Branca Maria de Oliveira
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Hansenologia Internationalis (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.saude.sp.gov.br/hansenologia/article/view/36191
• topic: Hanseníase; Promoção da Saúde; Atenção à Saúde; Leprosy; Health Promotion; Health Care; Health Care (Public Health)

This study’s objective was to identify the living and health conditions of individuals with leprosy in a city in the state of São Paulo, Brazil according to the four elements of the model Campo de Saúde [Health Field]. This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study with the participation of 50 individuals, both genders, diagnosed with leprosy from January 2009 to May 2010, or diagnosed prior to this period but still undergoing treatment for reactional states or neurodermatological impairment. Data were obtained through a validated interview script. Women predominated (58%), 62% of the participants were diagnosed with dimorphic Hansen’s disease, 18% with tuberculoid leprosy, 12% with indeterminate leprosy, 8% were diagnosed with lepromatous leprosy, and 74% were classified with degree I of impairment. To 82% of the participants, the diagnosis was realized by a specialized health service, 24% of the subjects reported suffering discrimination after diagnosis, 44% practice physical activity, 38% reported changes in sleep at the beginning of the treatment; 60% reported to keep sexual activity and 42% reported the use of support network to face the treatment and the disease. Difficulties reported and suggestions will support the development of actions aimed to enable health professionals to acquire a critical consciousness, planning of a program with inter-sector and inter-disciplinary actions, with an emphasis on the real intention to fight leprosy, empowering the individuals and the community to become active actors in the health-disease continuum.