The route of a prejudice and social exclusion life marked by due to leprosy stigma: an experience report

Abstract

Objectives: To report an experience lived during the academic internship in a high complexity hospital in Manaus city, Amazonas state. Experience report: Such report is based on an elderly patient life history, who is affected by leprosy sequelae. As a result of her disease, she suffered from several ways of prejudice and social segregation. The present report was based on scientific articles that address relevant subjects to leprosy (stigma, social exclusion, segregation) and Health Ministry protocols regarding this disease. Data collection techniques were: 1) analysis of the medical record, from which the patient identification, diagnostic hypotheses, and daily medical evolution were extracted; 2) patient anamnesis; and 3) unstructured observation. Conclusion: Through out this report, it was observed that leprosy stigma is still a real fact in society, and social exclusion still permeates leprosy patients reality. In this context, it is expected to reflect on the complexity that surrounds this disease, since it goes beyond the therapeutic scheme. After all, prejudice and social exclusion are still embedded in society, due to missknowledge about the disease.