Leprosy control: perspectives & epidemiological and operational aspects

Abstract

SUMMARYObjectives: As a starting point, a vast variety of 200 technical papers and documents published during the ten years 1999-2008, from Brazilian and international organizations dedicated to the control of leprosy, was taken. A study was then undertaken to investigate its future evolutive possibilities by employing resources obtained from scenario analyses. Design: The methodological reconstruction in use was of a qualitative nature, based on a bibliographic review and content analysis techniques. The latter were employed in a documental, categorical, contingent, frequency-based format, in compliance with appropriate and pertinent conditions. Results: Nowadays, important elements on epidemiological and operational aspects have been regained, as well as respective perspectives. Conclusions: A projection is made towards the fact that the maintenance of the disease's present incidence levels constitute economic and sanitary challenges that confront issues ranging from the neoliberal model of global societal organization to specific competences of actions taken by health teams in the field.

Inpatient dermatology: profile of patients and characteristics of admissions to a tertiary dermatology inpatient unit in São Paulo, Brazil

“…As well as indicating a policy similar to that explained by García‐a‐Doval et al ., the high number of admissions for infectious mucocutaneous diseases reported in the present study may reflect the high incidence in Brazil of subcutaneous and systemic mycosis, such as paracoccidioidomycosis, and protozoa infections, such as leishmaniasis . In addition, leprosy continues to be a major public health problem in Brazil, which accounts for 93% of all cases of leprosy in the Americas according to World Health Organization (WHO) data from 2008 . Also according to the WHO, of the total number of tuberculosis cases worldwide, 80% are concentrated in 22 nations, including Brazil, known as high‐burden countries.…”

Realities of leprosy control: updating scenarios

“…This is a retroanalysis quantitative assay, combined with a prospective diachronic focus, formulated from the association of the documental revision techniques and content analysis 19,20 . We assumed, from what has been affirmed by Almeida Filho 21 , that, in research "object and method are mediated (or mutually 'anchored') by a third term, the scientific praxis' and continued with Minayo et al 22 , when recognized that there is the "way of the thought" being required the personal mark of the researcher in the form to articulate the facts, theories and findings, in a subjectification and objectification dialectic.…”

“…In this context, a lot have been analyzed as the covered trajectory 19 , counting currently with a relatively abundant scenario of technical initiatives, focusing to explore different scenes that can show us as we are going to live in the next years. The objective of the present text was to contribute in this direction, recovering recently available information about the subject in the international specialized literature, regarding to:…”

Múltiplas dimensões da gestão do cuidado à hanseníase e os desafios para a eliminação

“…Leprosy continues to afflict disfavored social classes in historically endemic areas. It leads to high percentages of physical disability, compromising the working capacity and lives of those affected and perpetuating the stigma related to this condition (1)(2) .…”

“…Leprosy is among global diseases considered as neglected. It predominates in conditions of poverty and contributes to the perpetuation of inequality, since it represents a strong hindrance to the development of countries (1)(2) .…”