Lepra: las repercusiones diarias en las trayectorias de la vida

Objective: To understand the repercussions of leprosy on the daily lives of people living with the disease. Method: Qualitative, descriptive and exploratory research that used the thematic oral history, conducted with nine people undergoing leprosy treatment. Data were collected between May and July 2016, through a semistructured questionnaire composed of identification data and a guiding question. The interviews were recorded and later transcribed and subjected to categorical thematic content analysis. Results: The findings were organized into three categories: Daily changes after diagnosis of leprosy; Feelings triggered by the diagnosis and; The unveiling of different ways of dealing with leprosy: stigma and prejudice. Conclusion: Leprosy brings changes in the life of the affected person and their families, and it is up to the nursing professionals, besides the follow-up in the treatment, to identify them and to take actions so that the individual can fight against stigma, prejudice and social exclusion.