NURSING CARE FOR LEPROSY PATIENTS ASSISTED BY PRIMARY CARE: INTEGRATIVE REVIEW

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: In Brazil, leprosy is a neglected endemic disease that, associated with precarious sanitary conditions and poverty, represents a significant public health problem. Given the direct role of nurses in the care, prevention and treatment of leprosy, the literature emphasizes the importance of building bonds and trust during nursing consultations. These factors are crucial for the quality of care, adherence to treatment and monitoring of the disease. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the nursing care provided to leprosy patients in primary care. METHODOLOGY: This is an integrative review of the literature, which had as its guiding question "What nursing care should be provided to leprosy patients assisted by primary care?", which was carried out in the Virtual Health Library (VHL) , through the online databases Scientific Electronic Library Online (SCIELO), Literatita Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (LILACS), Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), using the following descriptors: "leprosy", "nursing assistance", "nursing care", "primary health care", "basic care", combined with the Boolean operators AND and OR, where complete articles in Portuguese, English and Spanish were included and works that are not in line with the proposed theme. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS: It is a fact that leprosy is considered a global public health problem, therefore, it requires vigilance to interrupt its chain of transmission, and prevention of treatment abandonment. In this context, the work of the nursing team is fundamental, as they develop essential strategies that encourage changes in the individual's behavior, making them more responsible for their condition. CONCLUSION: The importance of nursing consultations is highlighted, which not only establishes bonds with patients, but also identifies new cases, provides guidance and offers quality assistance to stop the spread of the disease.