Leprosy and primary care: an evaluation study from a medical perspective

• Published in: Revista de salud pública (Bogotá, Colombia) Colombia), 2018-05, Vol.20 (3), p.359-365
• Main Authors: de Sousa, Gutembergue S, Ferreira da Silva, Rodrigo L, Brasil-Xavier, Marília
• Format: Article
• Language: Portuguese
• Subjects: Brazil; Family Practice - methods; Family Practice - organization & administration; Family Practice - standards; Health Services Accessibility - standards; Humans; Leprosy - prevention & control; Primary Health Care - methods; Primary Health Care - organization & administration; Primary Health Care - standards; Quality of Health Care; Surveys and Questionnaires
• ISSN: 0124-0064
• DOI: 10.15446/rsap.V20n3.56109

To assess the presence and extent of essential attributes derived from primary health care in a leprosy control program. This is an assessment of health programs, focused on leprosy and targeted at doctors working on control actions in a leprosy program of primary health care units. A questionnaire developed and validated in another study was used to measure the presence and scope of primary health care attributes in disease control. Data were entered into a database and statistical and descriptive analysis was carried out. This study was approved within the framework of CEP No. 1.128.385. Overall scores and essential attributes of leprosy control actions showed a high exposure to leprosy control actions in the studied city. Community's access, orientation and guidance attributes averaged below the cutoff point, demonstrating the existing weaknesses in the items that make up these attributes. Despite the weaknesses identified, the study showed high orientation towards the development of leprosy control actions, according to the assessment made by doctors working in primary care.