Desafios enfrentados por pessoas acometidas pela hanseníase em seu ambiente de trabalho.

Abstract

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, which is manifested by signs and symptoms thedermatological-neurological and has high potential disabling. These disabilities may evolve to deformities causing some problems, such as decrease ability working, limitation of social life and psychological problems. They are also responsible for stigma and prejudice that persist in the social imaginary, and contribute to interference in affected people‟s lives. Leprosy is a curable disease, but there are several challenges to be faced to achieve the quality of life of person affected. The objective of this study was to identify the difficulties faced by people affected by leprosy in their work environment, after confirmation of the diagnosis, in the city of Cajazeiras- PB. This is an exploratory and descriptive study with quantitative and qualitative approach, which was developed at home, with people affected by leprosy living in the city of Cajazeiras - PB, registered in Basic Health Units, who were in treatment, or completed within the period of data collection and having formal or informal employment. To collect data, an interview was used, including as an instrument a structured script with objective questions and data presented in tables. In subjective questions the data were organized and categorized according to the technique of content analysis of Bardin and analyzed based on relevant literature. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee on Research, Faculty of Santa Maria under opinion no. 795 791, conformed to the principles of Resolution 466/2012 the National Health Council. Twelve people affected by leprosy participated in the study, the majority is men, married, with family income of two to three minimum wages, multibacillary leprosy, and just two did not conclude elementary school. Regarding knowledge about leprosy, submitted satisfactory replies. The categories it was realized that the adversities arising after diagnosis still permeate the lives of people affected, especially at work, providing a loss of psychological and socio-economic order, with evident difficulty they even have to adapt to a normal life, once the sequel of the disease may lead to the abandonment or termination of employment, as well as the shame of body image that makes for self containment. It is concluded that there is need for more engagement in early diagnosis activities, assisting with a multidisciplinary team and reintegration of people affected the job market, softening the impact conferred by their own illness.