Stigmata and prejudice: reality of carriers of leprosy in prisional units

Abstract

Objective: Understand the perception of leprosy patients about the stigma and prejudice experienced in prisons. Method: A qualitative, descriptive and exploratory research. The participants were five men and two women incarcerated. Data was collected through the Association Free Word Test and semistructured interview and processed by content analysis. Results: Using the Test emerged the categories Treatment, Prejudice, Symptoms and Feelings. From the interviews emerged the following categories: Leprosy from the perspective of patients and family relations; Stigma of leprosy, the impact of the diagnosis and their feelings; Refusing leprosy and Resorting to divine faith to tackle the disease. Conclusion: Negative feelings, prejudice and stigma were present in the speeches of subjects. Research and monitoring of leprosy patients become indispensable for nursing actions and for spaces of care in relation to social aspects of leprosy.