The Use of Assistive Technology to Promote Care of the Self and Social Inclusion in Patients with Sequels of Leprosy.

BACKGROUND: This study is about the contribution of occupational therapy inside a rehabilitation group, and we focus on the autonomy of patients with disabilities due to leprosy. There are few studies on the use of assistive technology by leprosy patients; to our knowledge, none of them aim to have a subjective approach of care. Our purpose was to analyze the repercussions of assistive technology on autonomy of care of the self in patients with sequels of leprosy. METHODS: A qualitative, descriptive exploratory study with a semi-structured interview and a field observation as a research method was conducted between November 2014 and February 2015 at a University Hospital in Rio de Janeiro. FINDINGS: Eight patients from the service of Occupational Therapy were interviewed, and 44 hours of observation were performed. Interviews followed a semi-structured script and a field journal was used to take notes. Analysis was conducted by the hermeneutic approach. Costs were obtained after a global cost analysis of the fixed and variable expenses and direct and indirect costs to the manufactured products with an amount of 100 dollars. Results were grouped according to the following categories: contribution of the adapted devices for the care of the self and feelings and sensations provoked by the use of self-help devices. The reports revealed feelings, perceptions and meaningful contents about the social, familiar and individual dimensions, also the stigma coupled with leprosy. However, forms of re-signification were elaborated. CONCLUSIONS: Assistive technology empowers the subject to perform care of the self and promotes social inclusion.

O uso da tecnologia assistiva no resgate da autonomia de pacientes com sequelas da Hanseníase / The use of assistive technology in the rescue of the autonomy of patients with sequelae of leprosy

Trata-se de um estudo sobre a abordagem da terapia ocupacional em nível de reabilitação em saúde, cujo foco é a autonomia de pacientes com sequelas da hanseníase. Constituem temas desta pesquisa: a adoção da tecnologia assistiva no processo de cuidado, a subjetividade, a autonomia do cliente. Os objetivos: descrever a repercussão da tecnologia assistiva na autonomia do sujeito; analisar a relação entre sujeito e tecnologias no processo de cuidado. Quanto ao método, o estudo qualitativo, cujas técnicas foram entrevista semiestruturada e observação participante. O cenário do estudo foi o Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. A pesquisa foi realizada no período de novembro/2014 a fevereiro/2015. Foram entrevistados oito clientes que se tratam no serviço de Terapia Ocupacional. O tipo de análise escolhido foi hermenêutica do sujeito. Quanto aos resultados, três categorias foram descritas e discutidas sendo elas: a contribuição dos dispositivos nas suas rotinas e no cuidado de si; os sentimentos e sensações gerados pelo uso dos instrumentos adaptados e por fim, a percepção do cuidado recebido pelos profissionais de saúde. Conclui-se que tecnologia assistiva representa uma ferramenta com potencial transformador no resgate de possibilidades, através desta, é possível instrumentalizar o sujeito para o exercício do cuidado de si e promover inclusão social. Constatamos ainda, que os participantes deste estudo, percebem o cuidado recebido em nosso serviço como acolhedor, sensível e competente

This is a study on the approach of occupational therapy at the level of health rehabilitation, which focuses on the autonomy of patients with leprosy sequelae. Are themes of this research: the adoption of assistive technology in the care process, subjectivity, customer autonomy. The goals: to describe the impact of assistive technology in the autonomy of the subject; analyze the relationship between subject and technologies in the care process. A far as a qualitative study was preferred, the techniques used were semi-structured interview and participative observation. Having been made in the University Hospital Clementino Fraga Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, the research was performed between November/2014 and February/2015. Eight patients under treatment in the Occupational Therapy Service were interviewed. The kind of analysis chosen was the hermeneutics of the subject. As for the results, three categories were described and discussed. They are: the contribution of the devices in the patients´ routine and in self-care; the feelings and sensations arosen by the use of adapted instruments; and, finally, the patient's perception about the health professional's care. It is concluded that assistive technology is a potential tool with transformer in the rescue possibilities, through this; you can equip subject to the exercise of self-care and promote social inclusion. We note also that the study participants perceive the care received in our service as warm, sensitive and competent

O uso da técnica do esparadrapo (spiral tape) sobre os distúrbios osteomusculares / The use of the adhesive tape (spiral tape) technique on osseous-muscular illnesses

O estudo refere-se a uma terapia energética para tratamento de distúrbios osteomusculares em que se utiliza a técnica do Spiral Tape também conhecida como técnica do esparadrapo. Trata-se da utilização exclusiva do esparadrapo sobre a pele. Os objetivos foram: descrever as possibilidades e os resultados obtidos com a aplicação da técnica do esparadrapo em clientes com alterações osteomusculares em diferentes segmentos do corpo. Foi do tipo descritivo com abordagem quantitativa, mediante avaliação de 111 fichas cadastrais dos clientes atendidos numa Policlínica Comunitária da Fundação de Saúde de Niterói, em 1998/1999. Os resultados alcançados registraram que 56.16 por cento obtiveram melhora igual ou acima de 90 por cento; 24.66 por cento entre 50 e 90 por cento; e 19.18 por cento não apresentaram respostas significativas.