Uma abordagem geoepidemiológica da Hanseníase em Mato Grosso

Abstract

Introduction: Leprosy is an infectious, transmissible disease that still persists as a public health problem in Brazil, which ranks 2nd (second) among the countries with the highest incidence in the world, behind only India. However, it is the first in cases of prevalence. Mato Grosso has had one of the highest rates of reported leprosy cases and the municipality of Barra do Garças has been one of the most affected in the state. Objective: To describe the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients who fell ill from leprosy in the city of Barra do Garças, Mato Grosso. Methods: This is a quantitative, retrospective and descriptive study with data collected from the DW Web platform (Data Repository of the Information Systems of the State Department of Health of Mato Grosso) from 2010 to 2022. Sociodemographic and clinical-operational results of affected patients, through descriptive statistics, together with the elaboration of Kernel and Getis-Ord Gi maps*. Results and Discussions: The study reveals that leprosy predominantly affects the male population, of mixed race, aged between 40 and 59 years old, covering an economically active range and with a low socioeconomic level. In relation to geoepidemiology approaches, we have Kernel densities showing critical areas for leprosy in the Santo Antonio, Centro and São José neighborhoods. In relation to Gi* representing critical areas in relation to notifications and the territory, we have in HotSpot: 99%-Centro, 95%-Santo Antonio and 90%-Nova Barra and in ColdSpot: 99%-Vale da Serra, 95%-Anchieta and 90%-Recanto das Acácias. Conclusion: A gap was observed in management and health services, highlighting the lack of active search for early treatment, failures in disease control, including prevention, management and cure. The present study highlights the need to strengthen health surveillance actions. It emphasizes the importance of epidemiological studies and geoprocessing, to identify areas of predominant notification, evaluate the effectiveness of policies and interventions over time in leprosy control.