Território, doenças negligenciadas e ação de agentes comunitários e de combate a endemias

OBJECTIVE To characterize knowledge, practices, and professional experience of community health agents (ACS) and endemic combat agents (ACE) on leprosy and Chagas disease (DC), during participation in an integrated training workshop in the IntegraDTNs-Bahia project. METHODS Descriptive and exploratory case study, involving health agents and endemic combat agents participating in a training workshop on the shared role of these professionals in health care and surveillance processes. The project was developed in the municipalities of Anagé, Tremedal and Vitória da Conquista, in the southwestern State of Bahia, 2019–2020. A specific instrument was applied, with questions related to knowledge and practices of surveillance and care for leprosy and Chagas disease. Descriptive analysis of the data, in addition to consolidation of the lexical analysis, was performed. RESULTS Out of a total of 135 participants (107 ACS and 28 ACE), 80.7% of them have been working for at least 12 years, without previous participation in joint training processes. Only 17.9% of endemic combat agentes reported having participated in training on leprosy and none reported developing specific actions to control the disease. For Chagas disease, 36.4% of community health agents participated in training more than a decade before, while for 60.7% of endemic combat agents the last training was carried out in the last five years. The development of educational actions for Chagas disease was more frequent for endemic combat agents (64.3%). When asked about ways of recognizing diseases, the term “skin spots” was the most reported (38 times) for leprosy and, for Chagas disease, the term “I don’t know” (17 times). CONCLUSION Processes of health agents and endemic combat agents action in realities endemic for leprosy and Chagas disease in the interior of Bahia proved to be fragmented in the territories. For these diseases, the distance between surveillance and health care actions is reinforced, including in training processes. The importance of innovative permanent and integrated education actions is reiterated to actually promote changes in practices.OBJETIVO Caracterizar conhecimentos, práticas e experiência profissional de agentes comunitários de saúde (ACS) e agentes de controle de endemias (ACE) sobre hanseníase e doença de Chagas (DC), durante participação em oficina de formação integrada no projeto IntegraDTNs-Bahia. MÉTODOS Estudo de caso descritivo e exploratório, envolvendo comunitários de saúde e agentes de controle de endemias, participantes de oficina de formação sobre o papel compartilhado desses profissionais no processo de vigilância e atenção à saúde. Projeto desenvolvido nos municípios de Anagé, Tremedal e Vitória da Conquista, no Sudoeste do Estado da Bahia, 2019–2020. Aplicou-se instrumento específico prévio com questões relativas a conhecimentos e práticas de vigilância e atenção para hanseníase e doença de Chagas. Análise descritiva dos dados, além de consolidação da análise léxica. RESULTADOS Do total de 135 participantes (107 ACS e 28 ACE), 80,7% deles atuam há pelo menos 12 anos, sem participação prévia em processos de formação conjunta. Apenas 17,9% dos agentes de controle de endemias relataram ter participado de capacitações sobre hanseníase e nenhum informou desenvolver ações específicas de controle da doença. Para a doença de Chagas, 36,4% dos agentes comunitários de saúde participaram de capacitações há mais de uma década, enquanto para 60,7% dos agentes de controle de endemias a última capacitação foi realizada nos últimos cinco anos. O desenvolvimento de ações educativas para a doença de Chagas foi mais frequente para agentes de controle de endemias (64,3%). Quando perguntados sobre formas de reconhecimento das doenças, a palavra “manchas na pele” foi a mais relatada (38 vezes) para hanseníase e, para a doença de Chagas, a palavra “não sei” (17 vezes). CONCLUSÃO Os processos de atuação de agentes comunitários de saúde e agentes de controle de endemias em realidades endêmicas para hanseníase e doença de Chagas no interior da Bahia revelaram-se desintegrados nos territórios. Para essas doenças, reforça-se o distanciamento entre ações de vigilância e de atenção à saúde, inclusive nos processos de capacitação. Reitera-se a importância de ações inovadoras de educação permanentes e integradas para promover de fato mudanças nas práticas

Fatores sociodemográficos e clínicos de casos de hanseníase associados ao desempenho da avaliação de seus contatos no Ceará, 2008-2019

Objective: To analyze the association between sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of new cases (NC) of leprosy as determinants in the performance of contact assessment. Methods: A cross-sectional study with temporal approach of the 100% examined contacts assessment indicator of each NC registered in the State of Ceará, Brazil, via the Notification Information System, 2008-2019. Logistic regression was undertaken to estimate the odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). The time trend was based on Joinpoint regression. Results: 23,675 NC of leprosy were analysed, 65.4% with examined contacts. There was a greater chance of not evaluating of 100% of registered contacts when the NC was multibacillar (OR=1.19 – 95%CI 1.11;1.28), and with contact examination as entry mode (OR=1.71 – 95%CI 1.35;2.18). An increasing time trend of the indicator was verified (annual percentage change: 2.1 (95%CI 1.2;3.0). Conclusion: Different dimensions of individual and social vulnerability of new cases of leprosy in Ceará influence the persistent unsatisfactory performance of the evaluation of their contacts.Objetivo: Analisar o efeito de características sociodemográficas e clínicas de casos novos (CN) de hanseníase como determinantes no desempenho da avaliação dos contatos. Métodos: Estudo transversal, com abordagem temporal do indicador de avaliação de 100% dos contatos examinados de CNs registrados no Ceará, Brasil, via Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação, em 2008-2019. Empregou-se regressão logística para estimar razão de chances (OR) com intervalos de confiança de 95% (IC95%). A tendência temporal baseou-se em regressão joinpoint. Resultados: Analisou-se 23.675 CNs, 65,4% com contatos examinados. Verificou-se maior chance para não avaliação de 100% dos contatos registrados com CN multibacilar (OR=1,19 – IC95% 1,11;1,28) e com exame de contatos como modo de entrada (OR=1,71 – IC95% 1,35;2,18). A tendência temporal do indicador foi de aumento (variação percentual anual: 2,1 – IC95% 1,2;3,0). Conclusão: Dimensões distintas de vulnerabilidade individual e social de CNs de hanseníase influenciam o persistente desempenho insatisfatório da avaliação de contatos

A new scoring system for operational indicators guiding leprosy monitoring and surveillance in Brazil

Objective: We aimed to develop a new score to facilitate and enhance the quantitative assessment of operational standard indicators guiding leprosy monitoring and surveillance, based on data from Brazilian hyperendemic regions, 2004-2019.Methods: We analyzed epidemiological and operational standard indicators of leprosy control from the database of the Notifiable Diseases Information System in Brazil’s North and Northeast regions. The so-called IntegraHans Operational Score (IHOS) was generated, integrating 10 indicators, with a final semi-quantitative score varying from 0 (worst scenario) to 1 (best scenario). We then applied the IHOS within an ecological and population-based study to assess temporal and spatial leprosy distributions from 2004 to 2019.Results: In total, 343,888 new leprosy cases were analyzed (61% of cases in the country). There was a significant temporal trend of the IHOS annual percentage change [-0.3; 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.5 to 0.0] during 2010-2019, with large cities showing a worsening trend (average annual percentage change -0.8, 95%CI: -1.1 to -0.4). After 2010, municipalities with low and medium social vulnerability, and those with medium human development and medium and high social prosperity, showed improved IHOS scores. Spatial patterns with the best IHOS scenarios were observed in the states of Rondônia, Tocantins, and Pernambuco.Conclusion: The IHOS combines different operational parameters and is an effective and simple tool to assess leprosy control programs in Brazil. The worst IHOS scores over time were identified in critical areas, such as large cities in hyperendemic areas and municipalities with lower endemicity