The social representation of dot by TB patient from Guarulhos, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Setting
Public healthcare unities (HCU) from the municipality of Guarulhos in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Objective
Analyzing the individual perception of tuberculosis (TB) patient related to ‘supervised treatment’ (DOT) offered by Healthcare Service.
Methodology
A qualitative methodology, the Collective Discourse (CD) allows capturing a pool of social representations, gathering responses from different individuals with discourse content of similar sense to build collective statements.
Results
Considering answers by 65 patients, in questions 1 and 2 about DOT – ‘How was it?’ and ‘Tell about it on a daily basis?’ the central ideas presented were: Question 1, (A) explanation about TB (13,9%); (B) orientation regarding treatment site (55.4%); (C) orientation regarding time and frequency of TB drugs (36.9%); (D) orientation about care and restrictions during the treatment (9.2%); (E) orientation about non-abandonment of treatment (7.7%); (F) explanation about possible side effects of TB drugs (9.2%); (G) simply to accomplish the prescription properly (1.5%); (H) related sensation of welcoming by healthcare professionals (4.6%); (I) explanations that DOT is ‘to guarantee’ the non-abandonment of treatment (4.6%); and (J) did not answer (4.6%). Question 2, (A) physical reaction to TB drugs or aggressive treatment (26.2%); (B) go to HCU to receive TB drugs (36.9%); (C) difficulty/time-consuming to go to HCU (9.2%); (D) someone’s reaction related to TB (3.1%); (E) treatment was incorporated on routine/did not affect routine (21.5%); (F) improvement of health after beginning of treatment (18.5%); (G) patient is attended by healthcare agent at home (4.6%); (H) did not answer (6.2%).           
Conclusions
TB patients have correct basis about the disease and understand the necessity of DOT. They do not perceive DOT as a barrier, but as a reinforcement for a very difficult treatment with drugs that cause sickness at the beginning of treatment.