SILVEIRA, A. O. da.; http://lattes.cnpq.br/7219425864567325; DANTAS, Amanda Oliveira da Silveira Marques.
Abstract:
Leprosy still remains a serious public health problem, requiring the nurse an epidemiological
standpoint to operationalize the prevention actions and control that ranges from the active search
for new case detection, early diagnosis and appropriate treatment to the pursuit of defaulters.
Therefore, this study aimed primarily to describe the main difficulties mentioned by the nurses to
quickly diagnose and treat properly the leprosy patients registered at the Family Health Strategy
from the city of Sousa-PB. This is an exploratory and descriptive study with quantitative and
qualitative approach, developed with 26 nurses working in FHS, chosen through an intentional
non-probabilistic sampling. The data collected between May and June of this year by the use of a
semi-structured questionnaire was analyzed quantitatively by calculation of descriptive statistics
and qualitatively through the technique of content analysis. Importantly, the study was approved
by the Ethics Committee of the State University of Paraiba under 0.180,0.133.000-11 number.
The main results reveal a profile of young adult professionals aged between 29 and 34 years
(50%), mostly female (92%), married (62%), followers of the Catholic doctrine (78%), formed
between one to five years (58%), with the title of experts in various areas of nursing (92%),
acting in the FHS between seven months to three years (65%), with family incomes ranging from
two to five minimum wages (50%) and above five minimum wages (50%) national current.
Moreover, it was found that 54% of participants did some training in leprosy, referring there's no
case registered or being in accompaniment at the unit actually; 54% emphasized already have
diagnosed a new case, and this activity is performed by the doctor and nurse simultaneously
(58%) in the health unit. Among the difficulties cited by 42% of the participants to diagnose the
disease, stands to clinical and operational, the patient's noncompliance to the unity, die high
demand on the service, the realization of the differential diagnosis, the lack of specific material
resources. Among the problems highlighted by 31% of nurses to perform the appropriate
treatment of leprosy, it's cited the testing, the resistance of patients to treatment, the insecurity of
discharge by healing, the excessive demand in attendance. In all, 42% of the sample consider
leprosy control program ineffective because they consider the need for capacity building and
training of professionals involved with the problem. So, it is considered the need for permanent
training to Nurses, allowing them to get updated technical knowledge and practical skills
sufficient to earlier diagnose and treat cases of leprosy correctly, ensuring the interrupt the chain
of transmission and prevention of physical disabilities.
