Representações sociais de pessoas vivendo com tuberculose sobre a doença e seu tratamento

Abstract

This study aimed to describe the social representations of people with TB, regarding the disease and its treatment, and to analyze the social representations of people with TB, assisted by the Family Health Strategy, on the disease and the treatment of tuberculosis. Using a qualitative approach, social representation theory was taken as the theoretical basis. Information was collected using interviews, with 12 people who were being treated for tuberculosis in the Primary Health Care Units located in the southeastern administrative region of the city of Juiz de Fora. The subjects' reports were organized using the thematic content analysis method proposed by Bardin. The categories identified in the study, revealing the content of social representations of tuberculosis were: Representations about perceiving and discovering the disease; The (lack of) knowledge about tuberculosis; and Experiencing the illness and treatment. The findings of this study demonstrated the social representation of tuberculosis as a commonplace disease, which has contributed to delaying its diagnosis and complicating treatment, even in the face of typical signs and symptoms. This difficulty can be attributed largely to a lack of information. This study points to the need to review the disease control policies, especially in an effort to educate the public about prevention and early diagnosis of the disease, but also the need to reconsider the role of the primary care team attending the person who is living with tuberculosis.