Significados da reabilitação: perspectivas de um grupo de pacientes que sofreu queimaduras e de seus familiares / Meanings of rehabilitation: perspectives of a group of patients who suffered burns and their family members

AUTOR(ES)
FONTE

IBICT - Instituto Brasileiro de Informação em Ciência e Tecnologia

DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

14/10/2011

RESUMO

Post burn rehabilitation is characterized by a process of recovering functions and appearance and also an attempt to resume daily activities. Individuals attribute various meanings to the experience, which reflect aspects of the complex dimension that integrates their affective, social, economic, natural and supernatural lives. This study sought to understand the meaning of rehabilitation from the perspective of burn victims and their family members; identify the priorities established for their lives and delimit the main elements used in coping. The theoretical framework was based on Interpretative Anthropology aiming to understand the experience from the participants\ perspectives, through the interconnections among culture, health and disease, and through explanatory models (disease, illness, sickness) used in the illness-rehabilitation process. Ethnography was the method used to study individuals in their natural environment and enabled the researcher to observe the phenomenon in the context in which it occurs and densely describe the individuals\ universe of health beliefs and practices, social meanings and daily activities in order to understand their behavior in health and disease and life style. A total of 16 individuals participated in the study: 11 adult burn victims between 25 and 67 years of age, residents of Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil who were hospitalized in the Burn Unit at the Hospital das Clinicas, University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto Medical School and met the inclusion criteria, in addition to five family members who showed interest in participating. Home visits were made from one year and six months up to three years after the trauma. All the participants presented visible aesthetic and functional sequelae caused by their burns and were undergoing follow-up. The data collection techniques were: direct observation and semi-structured interviews. Data collected were separately analyzed and compared with each other aiming to identify similarities and divergences. The themes identified were: The impact of the burn: rupture in life processes; Altered sense of identity: living with the burn; and Family: sharing and participating in the experience of post-burn rehabilitation. The first theme includes: becoming aware of the physical and psychological sequelae; implications of altered appearance and mood; negative self-image and perception of self-esteem; revealing loss of identity and perception of stigma experienced during rehabilitation. The second includes the experience of changing or intensifying preexistent bonds or conflicts; altered sexuality, leisure, work capacity, and self-efficacy. The third theme includes the perceptions of family members concerning the altered aspects: physical, psychological, and social aspects and work capacity; support provided within the individual\ s routine and financial, emotional and instrumental resources, considered important for the rehabilitation process. The work jointly with the health team, family and social network should focus on the needs the individuals identify themselves in order to enable rehabilitation. The interaction among family, individual and team enables the understanding of practices, beliefs and values related to the disease and care provided for their burns and broadens communication between the team and individuals with positive repercussions for the quality of care delivery because the objectives are determined in this co-participation.

ASSUNTO(S)

rehabilitation anthropology cultural burns etnografia queimaduras reabilitação

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

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