My Color Is Not Like This, This Is the Color of the Medicine: Body Image of Individuals Under 15 Years Old Who Had Leprosy in Petrolina, PE and Juazeiro, BA

Abstract

This article aimed to understand the repercussions of leprosy on body image in individuals under 15 years old affected by leprosy. Fourteen children and adolescents under 15 years old who were registered in the Leprosy Control Program of Petrolina-PE and Juazeiro-BA and who had been discharged as cured participated in the study. A semi-structured interview technique was used, covering guiding questions about the experiences of the child and adolescent with the disease, addressing family, social aspects, and perceptions arising from the experience. The data obtained were analyzed using symbolic interactionism and Erving Goffman's sociology, also taking into consideration more contemporary readings on performativity. Based on the narratives produced, the aspects of body image of children and adolescents with leprosy were highlighted and organized into thematic axes: body image, effects of leprosy, racialization of the disease, and its consequences. It is evident that the predominant element of the research is anchored in the diseased and marked body images present in all interviews. Thus, for participants afflicted by leprosy, the body is perceived as "ugly," "sick," and "rejected," and such body image is associated with a negative impact on their self-image.

Keywords

• leprosy
• body image
• social stigma
• minors under 15 years old
• public health