Abstract
To describe the influence of conceptions of health professionals on the care given to HIV/AIDS patients using drugs. Qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews with 22 professionals of different levels from two specialized STD/AIDS public services of the city of São Paulo was conducted in 2002. The interviews were recorded and submitted to a thematic analysis. Professionals reported difficulties in identifying drug users among their patients, indicating the invisibility of the issue. They find drug users more difficult to treat, because they disturb the service and do not comply with treatment. Although they acknowledge the special needs of users, and that it is important to deal with drug use, health professionals believe that these issues are not their responsibility. Professionals showed personal and technical limits in handling these cases, showing the importance of their lack of specific capacity building. Thus, they recommend the creation of specialized services for this care, recognizing their own services as inappropriate. Although they were aware of the harm reduction project, there was a little participation in it. Technical, ideological and personal elements such as beliefs, values and affective/emotional dimensions were relevant to enhance or refuse to develop more specific bonds with drug user patients. The conceptions on drug use may interfere in the development of a better care and equity in health care.
Highlights
Drug use is one of the many challenges that had to be incorporated by health professionals working with people living with HIV/AIDS.[8]
Drug use, either in therapy, or compliance with antiretroviral treatment, implies considerable changes in their work with AIDS, because it is added to its difficulties, those difficulties related to getting sick due to drug use
Professionals of different categories were invited to take part in the study, some of them had finished high school and some had graduated from college, and they had been working in the place for at least one year, this was the minimum amount of time in the service that enable to match professional life with the care of the user population
Summary
Professionals reported difficulties in identifying drug users among their patients, indicating the invisibility of the issue They find drug users more difficult to treat, because they disturb the service and do not comply with treatment. They acknowledge the special needs of users, and that it is important to deal with drug use, health professionals believe that these issues are not their responsibility. Professionals showed personal and technical limits in handling these cases, showing the importance of their lack of specific capacity building. They recommend the creation of specialized services for this care, recognizing their own services as inappropriate. They were aware of the harm reduction project, there was a little participation in it
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