Therapeutic itinerary of homeless persons with tuberculosis in Rio de Janeiro

Abstract

Tuberculosis continues to be a serious and prevalent health problem in this population, who frequently interrupt treatment. This study aims to describe the therapeutic itinerary of homeless persons with tuberculosis, from the initial perception of the symptoms to the moment of hospitalization. Methods: The study used a qualitative approach, containing information and perceptions collected through semi-structured interviews, medical records and the tuberculosis information system. Interviews were interpreted using the discourse content analysis, proposed by Bardin. The theoretical approach adopted to understand their therapeutic itinerary was the health care system model proposed by Arthur Kleinman, in which the popular, professional and folk subsystems can be accessed. Results and discussion: We conducted nineteen interviews. The popular subsystem, represented by the social street network and the general (anonymous) population, influenced the search for care of the professional subsystem. Their main choice in the professional subsystem, the most assessed, was the emergency services. In this subsystem, the practices were different according to the type of accessed service and traced trajectories were influenced by stigma, greeting by health professionals, fragmentation of attention, rules and norms of health services and unsatisfactory intersectorality. The folk subsystem was not accessed in this sample.