Adhesion and Abandonment of Hansen’s disease Treatment in Maranhão

The abandonment and irregularity of treatment are the main causes of the impasses in the control of Hansen's Disease, since they lead to a greater risk of transmission, creating a serious problem for public health. The objective of the research was to evaluate the causes of the abandonment of Hansen's Disease treatment in the State of Maranhão. Data from the Information System and Diseases and Notification related to the disease were analyzed in a total of 33,308 cases reported in the Health Units of Maranhão from 2008 to 2014 and analysis of 60 records in a field survey in a reference hospital for Hansen's Disease in the State. The multibacillary operational classification was the predominant one, with 23,320 cases (77.6%), with a more frequent clinical form. Males had the highest frequency (64.4%), aged 20 to 34 years (19,357 cases). As for ethnicity, the brown breed had the highest frequency and there was preponderance of low level of education, from 1st to 4th grade, followed by the illiterate. Of the 775 patients who initiated treatment, 60 were either absent or abandoned. The main reasons for abandonment were: side effects of medication, lack of understanding of information about the disease and identification of symptoms, prejudice, idea of religious healing, non-acceptance of the disease and embarrassment of going to health units every month.