Hanseníase: avaliação das limitações das atividades, consciência de risco e participação social

Abstract

For affecting the peripheral nerves, leprosy can result in incapacity that contributes to limitations which possibly affects the risk awareness and/or social participation. This study's main goal is to evaluate the limitations of activities, risk awareness and social participation of people affected by leprosy. It's an analytical study developed in two programs for control of leprosy in São Luís - MA. The sample of the study included 31 patients with age of 15 and above with an active registration. The data was collected using the scores: SALSA, "Social Participation" and a form which contained clinical, social, demographics and environmental variables. On the social and demographics aspects, we could notice the predominance of male gender, age ranging from 30 to 39, brown color, from São Luís and other cities from Maranhão, completed highschool and salary of minimum wage. On the environmental aspects: 96,8% live in houses, 90,3% with a tile roof, usually living together with 3 to 4 people (45,2%), water from public network (64,5%), treated (54,8%), garbage collection (87,1%), septic tank (51,6%). About the clinical variables, higher percentage was registered of the dimorphic form, incapacity level 1, OMP score 1, showing some reactional state, with moderate occupation, duration of the disease from 0 to 12 months. In the SALSA score, 64,5% showed some limitation and 71% had risk awareness, 29% didn't have. In the Social Participation score, 74,2% didn't show restrictions while 25,8% . Showed some restriction. There was significant statistical association of restrictions in social engagement and being from the capital of the state; also between level of incapacity, water origin and limitation of activities. In this study it was noted the importance of the correct handling of physical incapacities, alterations in the OMP scores, to avoid the possibility of limitations for the patient; the stigma was associated with the region of origin of the patient and their social engagement. Therefore, it becomes a challenge to raise awareness among the professionals about the importance of use of SALSA and Social Participation scores in the care of people affected by leprosy during their treatment, which would make possible interventions that lead to a multidisciplinary, whole approach, as well as monitoring and control of the disease and how it socially affects the lives of people who have it.