Portadores de paracoccidioidomicose cutâneo mucosa atendidos num hospital terciário do interior paulista: adesão ao seguimento

Abstract

Chronic conditions can cause progressive physical, emotional and social alterations, requiring permanent changes in people´ life style. Paracoccidioidomycosis is a systemic mycosis that requires long-term treatment. The highest prevalence is in Latin America, with different endemic areas in Brazil. This study aimed to characterize the clients with cutaneous-mucosal paracoccidioidomycosis and to identify the reasons for non adherence to clinical therapeutic follow-up. Seventy-four patient files were consulted of adult clients with diagnosed cutaneous-mucosal paracoccidioidomycosis who received care and /or were hospitalized at a tertiary teaching hospital in the interior of São Paulo State, between January 2000 and July 2006. The project was approved by the hospital’s Research Ethics Committee. Most participants were men (86.5%), with an average age of 44.5 years, 66.7% of the cases were hospitalized between one and eight times. In 51.3% of the cases, hospitalization was due to relapse and 74.3% took the medication irregularly. Nurses, as essential elements in health services, can propose individual and collective strategies for care, in order to encourage the client to deal with the changes and, consequently, to improve the levels of adherence to the follow-up.

Key words: Paracoccidioidomycosis; Nursing; Patientes; Continuity of patient care.