Dados do Trabalho

Title

Understanding Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Clinically Inactivative Women: A Qualitative Study

Background

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic and cyclic disease with an autoimmune characteristic caused by a combination of environmental, hereditary, stress or congenital predispositions. The acute period of the disease is experienced by the patients as debilitating and of adaptive psychological changes. In the period of remission of the clinical symptoms of the disease, other adaptive psychological components are used as a way of dealing with the limitations imposed by the disease. Objective: To verify how people with systemic lupus erythematosus use adaptive psychological resources to deal with the disease in this asymptomatic period

Materials and methods

This qualitative study was used to study 9 selected women after the application of SLEDAI (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Systemic Activity Index) in the post-consultation period with scores equal to or less than 3. Subsequently, the first author's psychologist The qualitative research studies proposed the understanding of the phenomena observed in the scientific environment. The data collected through the recording of participants' speeches were analyzed through content analysis, using the theoretical framework of health psychology. The intention is always to understand the manifestation of something in a group, without the causal intention, only then to give visibility to new strategies both for therapeutic interventions and for new generalizable scientific studies. University Hospital of Southeastern Brazil. In this qualitative study, the strategy of saturation was used to calculate sample size and the number of individuals was held when we verified similarity in responses.

Results

9 female participants were selected. In the speeches of participants, the following topics were identified: Do not think about the existence of the disease; The return to daily activities; Living with other people; The perception of the current body.

Conclusions

The perception of the possibility of reactivation of the disease, allows these participants a constant vigil of occasional symptoms that arise. It is such a way to have emotional control over the occasional symptoms that arise. Reviving in anticipation all the trajectory of a possible aggravation of the disease. It is the fear and rationalization of the possibility of reactivation of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, which allows these participants to have adherence to the continuous treatment in this period.

Área

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus