Banca de DEFESA: JOSE FELIPE COSTA DA SILVA

Uma banca de DEFESA de DOUTORADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : JOSE FELIPE COSTA DA SILVA
DATE: 12/06/2026
TIME: 08:30
LOCAL: Meet
TITLE:

Leprosy in Elderly People: Clinical-Epidemiological Profile, Functional Outcomes, and Intervention Strategies

 

KEY WORDS:

 Leprosy. Elderly person. Health education. Rehabilitation. Functionality.

PAGES: 145
BIG AREA: Ciências da Saúde
AREA: Saúde Coletiva
SUMMARY:

Introduction: Leprosy is a chronic, infectious, and treatable disease caused by
Mycobacterium leprae, characterized by the involvement of the skin and peripheral nerves,
which can lead to sensory and motor alterations. The disease can affect individuals of various
age groups; however, in elderly people, it tends to be associated with a higher risk of physical
disabilities due to functional vulnerability and the presence of comorbidities related to aging.
Objective: To analyze the sociodemographic and clinical profile of elderly individuals with
leprosy in the Northeast region of Brazil, identify the distribution of physical disabilities
within this group, and investigate the educational strategies and therapeutic exercises used in
the care and follow-up of these cases. Methodology: This thesis was developed through
various methodological approaches. Initially, a cross-sectional study was conducted using
data from elderly individuals with leprosy registered in the National Disease Notification
System (SINAN). A documentary study was also conducted to investigate educational
resources on leprosy available on platforms linked to the Ministry of Health. Furthermore, a
scoping review was performed to identify the main types of therapeutic exercises used in the
rehabilitation of disabilities associated with leprosy, as well as an integrative review on the
use of the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) as
a tool for assessing functionality in elderly individuals. Results: The thesis consists of five
studies. The first study analyzed the sociodemographic and clinical profile of elderly
individuals with leprosy in Northeast Brazil. The second study investigated factors associated
with nerve involvement and physical disabilities in this population. The third study analyzed
the educational resources on the prevention and promotion of health regarding leprosy
available on platforms of the Ministry of Health. The fourth study identified and mapped the
therapeutic exercise modalities used in the treatment and rehabilitation of individuals with
leprosy. Finally, the fifth study assessed the use of WHODAS 2.0 as a tool for evaluating the
functionality of elderly individuals living in the community. Final Considerations: The
results revealed a high occurrence of leprosy in elderly individuals in the Northeast region of
Brazil, with a higher concentration of cases in states such as Maranhão and Piauí, a
predominance in the male sex, and an association with low levels of education. A relationship
was also observed between lower socioeconomic development levels and higher disease
occurrence. Nerve involvement was found to be a significant determinant of physical
disabilities in this group. The analysis of educational resources indicated that available
materials prioritize early detection and treatment of the disease. Furthermore, therapeutic

exercises, particularly those focused on muscle strengthening and stretching, demonstrated
potential in the functional rehabilitation of individuals with leprosy. The use of WHODAS 2.0
proved to be a useful tool for assessing and monitoring the functionality of elderly
individuals, especially in the context of primary healthcare.

 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Presidente - 2374850 - THAIZA TEIXEIRA XAVIER NOBRE
Interna - 2262871 - ANA ELZA OLIVEIRA DE MENDONCA
Externo à Instituição - MARCOS TÚLIO RAPOSO
Externa à Instituição - LUCIANA ARAUJO DOS REIS - UESB
Externa à Instituição - THALYTA CRISTINA MANSANO SCHLOSSER - UNICAMP