[Prevention of physical disabilities due to leprosy in Brazil: a historic analysis]

Guidelines for the prevention of physical disabilities due to leprosy have been gaining prominence in the control of the disease over and above multidrug therapy. The scope of this study is to describe the chronological changes in the technical guidelines for the prevention of physical disabilities due to leprosy in Brazil. It is a historical account based on official documents of the Brazilian health agencies. All the decrees, ordinances and manuals that mentioned assessment and prevention of disabilities published between 1962 and 2016 were included. The documents established the clinical, technical, welfare, emotional and social criteria that governed preventive actions in health institutions. The publications were coordinated by the Ministry of Health and adapted over the years from a conceptual, political, strategic and welfare standpoint. The guidelines mainly encompassed the activities of neurological assessment and the degree of physical incapacity, techniques of prevention of incapacities and self-care. Physical disabilities reflect the quality of access to diagnosis, monitoring of cases during treatment and post-discharge due to cure. The health services should be organized not only for the diagnosis and provision of multidrug therapy, but for all aspects involving the disease.