01820nas a2200229   4500000000100000008004100001260001800042653001200060653002700072653001900099653003400118653002100152100001700173700001400190700001300204700001400217700001300231700001400244245012200258856007700380520113300457       2023                            d  bSeven Editora10aLeprosy10acommunity health agent10ahealth centers10ahealth attitudes and practice10aSpatial analysis1 aCarvalho MMG1 aSouza CIG1 aGomes GP1 aBaia MJDS1 aGomes VP1 aConde GAB00aCommunity health agents as facilitators in the suspicion of leprosy in risk areas identified through spatial analysis  uhttps://sevenpublicacoes.com.br/index.php/editora/article/view/1611/17613 a<p><strong>Objective:</strong> to evaluate community health agents in the identification of individuals suspected of leprosy in their coverage areas through spatial analysis.</p>

<p><strong>Methods:</strong> a cross-sectional, descriptive, and quantitative study. We used the cases reported in the Information System of Notifiable Diseases, 2006-2014. We included 24 agents from basic health units located in areas of a low, medium, and high degree of leprosy detection.</p>

<p><strong>Results:</strong> 83% of the agents recognized leprosy as an infectious-contagious disease. However, in the transmission and surveillance of contact, only 50% demonstrated to know. During the home visit, 19 suspected cases had spots on the skin, 13 with neurological changes such as pain, numbness, and tingling.</p>

<p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> limited knowledge can hinder the approach of the agent with the individual with suspicion of the disease, reflecting in actions for the control of leprosy, since this agent greatly amplifies the capillarity of the health system in the active search for new cases of the disease.</p>