Maternal predictors related to quality of life in pregnant women in the Northeast of Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Gestation is a period that can positively or negatively influence the life of a woman in the pregnancy-puerperal cycle. Thus, evaluating the quality of life of this population can redirect the implementation of innovative practices, with the goal of making them more effective and practical or the promotion of humanized care. The present study aimed to evaluate the predictors that influence the health-related quality of life of low-risk pregnant women, as well as to describe the main areas affected in the quality of life of pregnant women. METHODS: A correlational, quantitative and cross-sectional study was carried out in two public units that provide prenatal care services and a private unit in the city of Fortaleza, a municipality in the Northeast of Brazil. The sample consisted of 261 pregnant women who were interviewed from September to November 2014. The collection instruments were a questionnaire covering sociodemographic, obstetric and quality of life variables, in addition to the Brazilian version of the Mother-Generated Index (MGI). The data were compiled and analyzed through the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software, version 20.0. A descriptive analysis was performed through the application of Pearson's chi-square test, Fisher's exact test and one-way ANOVA. Maternal predictors for the quality of life of pregnant woman were identified through a multivariate analysis/multiple regression. RESULTS: The response rate was 100%, corresponding to 261 respondents. Occupation, parity, partner support, marital status and persons with whom the women live were the predictors that positively interfered in the quality of life of pregnant women. In contrast, gestational age, type of housing, occupation, use of illicit drugs, non-receipt of partner support and maternal age were the predictors that negatively influenced quality of life. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that happiness to become a mother and body image were areas with the greatest positive and negative influence on health-related quality of life, which suggests being relevant aspects in the planning and implementation of actions aimed at its improvement.

Knowledge and practice of the nurse about leprosy: actions of control and elimination.

OBJECTIVE: to assess the knowledge and practice of primary health care nurses about control and elimination actions of leprosy. METHOD: evaluation study with qualitative approach, using the Discourse of the Collective Subject, data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted with 16 nurses. RESULTS: the data collected revealed that health professionals have sufficient knowledge about the National Policy on Control and Elimination of Leprosy (NPCEL) and that the main actions preconized were applied, however, notification of suspected or confirmed cases and social reintegration of the patient were not mentioned. CONCLUSION: keeping patients in treatment, overload of work, lack of interdisciplinarity and treatment performed at other locations outside of the community were difficulties reported by professionals. Nurses know the actions addressed at assistance of leprosy patients, however, the study points to the need for a practice which is more aligned to what advocates NPCEL.

Conhecimento e prática dos enfermeiros sobre hanseníase: ações de controle e eliminação / Conocimiento y práctica de enfermeros acerca de hanseniasis: acciones de control y eliminación / Knowledge and practice of the nurse about leprosy: actions of control and elimination

RESUMO Objetivo: avaliar o conhecimento e a prática de enfermeiros da atenção primária de saúde quanto às ações de controle e eliminação da hanseníase. Método: estudo avaliativo, com abordagem qualitativa, utilizando o Discurso do Sujeito Coletivo, cujos dados foram obtidos por meio de entrevista semiestruturada, realizada com 16 enfermeiros. Resultados: os dados coletados revelaram que os profissionais de saúde possuem conhecimento suficiente sobre a Política Nacional de Controle e Eliminação da Hanseníase (PNCEH) e que as principais ações preconizadas foram executadas, porém, a notificação de casos suspeitos ou confirmados e a reinserção social do doente não foram citadas. Conclusão: manter os doentes em tratamento, sobrecarga de trabalho, falta de interdisciplinaridade e tratamento realizado em outros locais fora da comunidade foram dificuldades relatadas pelos profissionais. Os enfermeiros conhecem as ações direcionadas à assistência ao hanseniano, entretanto, o estudo aponta para a necessidade de uma prática mais alinhada ao que preconiza a PNECH. .

RESUMEN Objetivo: evaluar el conocimiento y la práctica de los enfermeros que trabajan en la atención primaria de salud como las acciones de control y eliminación de la hanseniasis. Método: es un estudio evaluativo con enfoque cualitativo, utilizando el Discurso del Sujeto Colectivo, cuyos datos fueron recolectados a través de entrevistas semi-estructuradas con 16 enfermeros. Resultados: los datos obtenidos revelaron que los profesionales de la salud tienen el conocimiento suficiente sobre la Política Nacional de Control y Erradicación de la Hanseniasis (PNCEH) y que las principales acciones recomendadas se han implementado, pero la notificación de los casos sospechosos o confirmados y reinserción social del paciente no fue mencionado. Conclusión: mantener a los pacientes en tratamiento, exceso de trabajo, falta de interdisciplinariedad y tratamiento realizado en otros lugares fuera de la comunidad fueron problemas reportados por el personal de salud. Los enfermeros conocen las acciones destinadas a ayudar a los pacientes con hanseniasis, sin embargo, el estudio apunta la necesidad de una practica más direccionado a lo que defiende la PNECH. .

ABSTRACT Objective: to assess the knowledge and practice of primary health care nurses about control and elimination actions of leprosy. Method: evaluation study with qualitative approach, using the Discourse of the Collective Subject, data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted with 16 nurses. Results: the data collected revealed that health professionals have suffi cient knowledge about the National Policy on Control and Elimination of Leprosy (NPCEL) and that the main actions preconized were applied, however, notifi cation of suspected or confi rmed cases and social reintegration of the patient were not mentioned. Conclusion: keeping patients in treatment, overload of work, lack of interdisciplinarity and treatment performed at other locations outside of the community were diffi culties reported by professionals. Nurses know the actions addressed at assistance of leprosy patients, however, the study points to the need for a practice which is more aligned to what advocates NPCEL. .