Redução dos Índices de Abandono no Programa de Controle da Hanseníase. A Experiência de um Serviço de Saúde no Rio de Janeiro, Brasil Reduction in Dropout Rate of Patients in a Leprosy Control Program: The Experience of a Health Service in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

. Cad. Saude Publ., Rio de Janeiro, 9 (4): 504-507, oct/dec, 1993.During the year 1992, an important decrease in the dropout rate of patients in a leprosy controlprogram was observed in a public health center in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil).This paper discusses the factors associated with this reduction, especially the strategiesemployed by the health service. These strategies include the prevention of non-compliance byspecial interviewing of patients and the recuperation of defaulter patients by means of homevisits and mail.