Atenção à saúde de pacientes com ambiguidade genital

Abstract

This research aimed to know and understand the actions involved in health care for patients with genital ambiguity in a General Hospital located in the Brazilian Northeast. The methodology consisted of surveying data from medical records to identify cases of genital ambiguity seen in the period from 2003 to 2007 as well as interviews with health professionals. The arrival at the hospital of a subject with ambiguous genitalia raises sensitive issues concerning diagnosis and treatment of the problematic. The latter bumps up against limitations related to the infrastructure of the hospital. Added to this, service fragmentation makes it difficult for health professionals conduct their actions concerning the health care of patients with genital ambiguity.

Keywords

• Genital ambiguity
• Health care
• General hospital