TY - JOUR
KW - Social stigma
KW - Occupational Therapy
KW - leprosy
AU - Dubosselard Zimmermann R
AU - Vieira SG
AU - Angelo TDA
AU - Souza VCA
AB - Abstract: Introduction: Brazil is considered the second most endemic country in the world for Hansen’s disease.
Despite the growing investment in prevention and public information, the stigma surrounding morbidity hinders its
diagnosis and treatment. With a biopsychosocial approach, the occupational therapist composes the multidisciplinary
team providing care for lepers. Objective: Therefore, it is important to know the perceptions of professionals under
academic training towards the care of patients suffering from leprosy. Methods: It is a qualitative exploratory-
-descriptive research carried out with undergraduate students of Occupational Therapy from a public university.
An open semi-structured interview was used as technique for data collection; it addressed students’ expectation
about the first contact with leprosy patients, their feelings in the first moment, the influence of their classmates’
behavior, the preparation to perform the service, and the interest to continue working in this area. Results: It was
possible to observe that students have knowledge about the disease, its causative agent, its mode of transmission,
and its physical and social implications. We also noted that access to information was of utmost importance, so that
most students did not create negative expectations regarding patient care. Conclusion: The study demonstrated
how leprosy can still cause fear in the population and that this may influence the behavior of health professionals
if they are not properly trained to deal with leprosy patients.
BT - Cadernos de Terapia Ocupacional da UFSCar
DO - 10.4322/cto.2014.058
IS - 2
J2 - Cad. Ter. Ocup. UFSCar
LA - por
N2 - Abstract: Introduction: Brazil is considered the second most endemic country in the world for Hansen’s disease.
Despite the growing investment in prevention and public information, the stigma surrounding morbidity hinders its
diagnosis and treatment. With a biopsychosocial approach, the occupational therapist composes the multidisciplinary
team providing care for lepers. Objective: Therefore, it is important to know the perceptions of professionals under
academic training towards the care of patients suffering from leprosy. Methods: It is a qualitative exploratory-
-descriptive research carried out with undergraduate students of Occupational Therapy from a public university.
An open semi-structured interview was used as technique for data collection; it addressed students’ expectation
about the first contact with leprosy patients, their feelings in the first moment, the influence of their classmates’
behavior, the preparation to perform the service, and the interest to continue working in this area. Results: It was
possible to observe that students have knowledge about the disease, its causative agent, its mode of transmission,
and its physical and social implications. We also noted that access to information was of utmost importance, so that
most students did not create negative expectations regarding patient care. Conclusion: The study demonstrated
how leprosy can still cause fear in the population and that this may influence the behavior of health professionals
if they are not properly trained to deal with leprosy patients.
PY - 2014
SP - 383 
EP -  390
T2 - Cadernos de Terapia Ocupacional da UFSCar
TI - [Perception of Occupational Therapy students towards the care of patients with leprosy]
TT - Percepção de estudantes de Terapia Ocupacional frente ao atendimento de pacientes com hanseníase
UR - http://www.cadernosdeterapiaocupacional.ufscar.br/index.php/cadernos/article/view/1069/553
VL - 22
ER -