O sentido do trabalho para homens com úlceras falcêmicas

Abstract

The object of this research was the meaning of work for men with sickle cell ulcers (SCU). In today’s capitalist society, those who do not work have their subsistence rendered impossible in terms of housing, food, clothing; in short, the materiality of life is highly compromised for these people. In this perspective, the presence of a chronic disease associated with altered self-image makes men more vulnerable, affecting the development of work activities, which may have repercussions in the sense that they have about work. The objectives of this study were: i) to describe the meaning of work for men with SCU, ii) to analyze the difficulties and facilities that men with SCU have to remain in the world of work and describe the meaning of work for these men, iii) to discuss the impacts of the presence of SCU on men who are active in the world of work, and iv) to elaborate an educational booklet for the prevention of complications and recurrences of SCU, with a view to contributing to the maintenance of men with SCU in the world of work. This is a qualitative, descriptive-exploratory research, developed in two fields, a dressing outpatient clinic in a large hospital and a stomatherapy nursing clinic located in a polyclinic, both linked to a university health complex located in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro. Data collection took place between August and November 2019 after approval by the Ethics Committee, through semi-structured interviews with 20 men with sickle cell wound. Data inquiry occurred through the analysis of the sociodemographic, professional and wound aspects arising from the computer program Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS); and by the analysis of the information resulting from the open questions, using the software Interface de R pour les Analyses Multidimensionnelles de Textes et de Questionnaires (IRAMUTEQ), adopting the Descending Hierarchical Classification, analysis using the word cloud and group specificity. The results revealed that the disease, sickle cell ulcer and pain triad promotes social withdrawal, causing repercussions in working life, which can translate into psychophysical limitations, early retirements and insertions in precarious work spaces, in addition to a stigmatizing representation in the lives of these individuals. The execution of this study was relevant, as it contributed to the discussion about the meaning of work for men with sickle cell ulcers; allowed a reflexive analysis about their daily life; collaborated in producing knowledge that may have a positive impact on the quality of nursing care and teaching, as well as encourage other research on the subject; and, in addition, an educational booklet on the prevention of complications and recurrences was produced in order to facilitate that these men can remain in the labor world.