Itinerário terapêutico de pessoas com feridas crônicas e os sentidos atribuídos à lesão

Abstract

In Brazil, chronic wounds are considered a serious public health problem, as they affect a large number of people with changes in the integrity of their skin. People who have this skin lesion condition may have different needs and commitments depending on the underlying disease, the appearance of the wound and the resources available for treatment. Therapeutic itineraries (TI) allow us to understand the health demands presented by people and to know the paths people experience in seeking therapeutic care. The general objective of this research was to understand the therapeutic itineraries of individuals with chronic wounds, the meanings attributed to the skin lesion, the existence of a support network to face the problem and the perception of the influence of food on the wound healing process. lesion. Using qualitative methodology, interviews were carried out using a semi-structured script, seeking to understand the therapeutic itinerary and the dynamics of how the two adults with chronic wounds deal with the illness. In addition to the interviews, the records of the dermatology outpatient clinic were consulted. Inclusion criteria were: being 18 years old or over, injured for more than 2 months (before the date of invitation to the research) and undergoing treatment at the dermatology outpatient clinic. After transcribing the interviews, thematic analysis (TA) was carried out, according to the six-step methodology proposed by Braun and Clarke. The main findings indicate that the study on IT of people with chronic wounds makes it possible to understand the perceptions and meanings that the individual attributes to their experiences and search for health. This allows professionals, based on this knowledge, to offer new forms of care and health education, promoting autonomy and quality of life.