Fatores relacionados ao abandono de tratamento da hanseníase na atenção primária à saúde: uma revisão integrativa

Abstract

It is necessary to characterize leprosy treatment abandonment and its related factors, especially in primary health care. This is a descriptive and exploratory study with a qualitative and quantitative approach, based on documents and carried out through an Integrative Review (IR) of the literature. The main factors that influence the continuity of leprosy treatment were socioeconomic, clinical and access to health services elements combined. Among the factors most associated with treatment abandonment are low family income and difficulty in accessing multidrug therapy (MDT) due to limited availability in health centers. In addition, the quality and accessibility of health services, as well as the level of knowledge of patients about leprosy, were shown to be determinants for treatment adherence, directly affecting the effectiveness of disease control programs. The study points to the need to strengthen health teams and provide ongoing training for professionals for effective diagnosis and monitoring. An integrated approach that considers social and cultural determinants can improve treatment adherence and leprosy control, contributing to more humanized and effective care in eliminating the disease.