This study analyzed the limitations and strengths of the Directly Observed Treatment Short-Course (DOTS) for tuberculosis from the perspective of patients and healthcare providers in a Technical Health Supervision unit in the city of São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Four patients and 17 healthcare providers from nine Primary Care Units were interviewed from April to June 2006, after signing free and informed consent forms. The reports were decoded according to the speech analysis technique. The Theory of the Social Determination of the Health-Disease Process was adopted as the theoretical framework. The strengths were: establishment of bonds between healthcare providers and patients and the introduction of incentives, which promotes treatment adherence. Limitations included: restricted involvement of DOTS' healthcare providers and reconciling patients' working hours with supervision. Treatment adherence goes beyond the biological sphere and healthcare providers should acknowledge patients' needs that go beyond the supervision of medication taken.
In general, the DOTS makes it possible to establish attachments and that treatment adherence is associated with the need of returning to work. The identified weaknesses were the health professionals' lack of involvement in the treatment and the irregular distribution of incentives. Results show that treatment adherence transcends the biological and individual scope, and that it is central that health professionals recognize patients as people who have specific needs that are not limited to the tuberculosis treatment. KEY WORDS RESUMENEl estudio objetivó analizar las potencialidades y límites de la estrategia del Tratamiento Directamente Supervisado (DOTS), de acuerdo el punto de vista de pacientes y empleados de Unidades Básicas de Salud de las Coordinaciones Norte, Oeste y Este de la Municipalidad de São Paulo. Las entrevistas fueron recolectadas con consentimiento libre y aclarado, y decodificadas a través de la técni-ca de análisis del discurso. Se tomó como referencia teórica la Teoría de la Determinación Social del Proceso Salud-Enfermedad. De un modo general, se identificó que el DOTS posibilita la creación de vínculo y que la adhesión al tratamiento se asocia a la necesidad de volver al trabajo. Los límites detectados fueron la ausencia de compromiso por parte de los profesionales respecto del tratamiento y la distribución irregular de incentivos. Los hallazgos revelan que la adhesión al tratamiento trasciende los ámbitos biológico e individual, apuntándose como fundamental el hecho de que los trabajadores de la salud reconozcan a los pacientes como portadores de necesidades que no se restringen al tratamiento de la tuberculosis. DESCRIPTORES
DEDICATÓRIA DEDICATÓRIA DEDICATÓRIA DEDICATÓRIA A Deus, que ilumina meu caminho e guia meus passos. À minha mãe, Marlene, minha fortaleza, mulher guerreira, que sempre me apoiou, e por quem busco ser, a cada dia, uma pessoa melhor. À minha irmã, Eliana, por ser minha inspiradora, por sempre acreditar em meu potencial e ser exemplo de perseverança diante das dificuldades da vida. Aos meus irmãos Jair e Fernando, por sua compreensão. Ao meu grande amor, Michael, por sua paciência e apoio às minhas escolhas. A todos os negros e negras, que tiveram usurpadas suas oportunidade de se desenvolver e, àqueles que lutam para que o amanhã seja diferente.
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