title: [Social representations of TB patients on treatment discontinuation].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To understand the social representations of people with TB who discontinued treatment in a Program of Tuberculosis Control.
  
  
  METHODS
  a descriptive study of qualitative approach conducted in the city of Lima, Peru. Data were collected from October to November 2012, through semi-structured interviews with eight individuals and the method used was thematic content analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The categories led to the construction of the social representation that the disease and the treatment bring suffering. This representation influences non-adherence to treatment and may increase the rates of treatment discontinuation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Educational strategies linked to social interaction processes, to subjectivity and to the patient context are needed to reduce the rates of discontinuation of tuberculosis treatment, relapses and multi-drug resistance. The evaluations point to new challenges that must be faced to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Enfermagem, Universidad Nacional del Altiplano, Puno, Perú
authors.forename: Narda Estela Calsin
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Chirinos
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brasil.
authors.forename: Betina Hörner Schlindwein
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Meirelles
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Psicologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brasil.
authors.forename: Andréa Barbará Silva
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Bousfield
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology*; D012938:Social Perception; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult