Participatory construction of an assistive technology for leprosy contact surveillance.

OBJECTIVES

to develop, in a participatory manner, an assistive technology to contribute to the nurses' work process when managing leprosy contacts in Primary Health Care.

METHODS

this is a methodological study with a participatory interface. Data were collected between March and October 2023 at 19 Basic Health Units, with 29 nurses interviewed individually. IRAMUTEQ software was used for data analysis.

RESULTS

three thematic axes were organized, highlighting: Concepts regarding leprosy contact surveillance and decision-making; Operational difficulties in the work process; and Participatory development of assistive technology. Nurses supported the development of the technology in the form of a monitoring book, offering suggestions for improving the product for use in daily healthcare settings.

FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: the participatory development process enabled the creation of an assistive technology aligned with nurses' needs for managing and monitoring contacts in Primary Health Care.