Estigma relacionado a usuários de drogas: um estudo das crenças de profissionais de saúde

Abstract

Care for drug users is permeated by social stigma, resulting in insufficient investments to promote the health of this population, limiting their access to treatment. In addition, practices that violate their rights and exclude them from full social participation are legitimized by the stigmatization of health professionals. Therefore, the general objective of the study is to understand the stigmatizing beliefs related to alcohol users and other drugs of health professionals who work in specialized services and not specialized in the treatment of these substances, based on a qualitative approach. This study included 11 health professionals from three different services: CAPSad III, CAPS II and professionals from the Multiprofessional Residence linked to a university. The Focal Group was used as a data collection strategy, with a 90-minute session in each service mentioned above, only with professionals who previously participated in a Stigma Workshop. Data were analyzed through content analysis and ethical care was ensured. The results showed that the participants' beliefs are still permeated by stigmas, but they have been implicated in a critical posture and consistent with the current policies against this reality. Specific vulnerabilities of women in services have been reported, as a result of gender stereotypes and stigmas. The participants also argued that measures aimed at drug users should be based on the perspective of intersectoriality and interdisciplinarity. It is considered that this work presented important methodological advances for the qualitative research in the area of social stigma, especially by the realization of the Focal Groups, which provided a product rich in meanings, and could support future professional training programs that sensitize professionals to the comprehensive care of the drug user, considering issues related to specific stigmas, such as gender.