Profile of adolescents carriers of rheumatic ailment taken care of at a specialized ambulatory

Abstract

Conducted at the Center for Adolescent Health Studies at the State University of Rio de Janeiro (NESA/UERJ), this study aimed to outline the profile of adolescents with rheumatic diseases treated at this institution from January 2005 to December 2006. This is a descriptive, quantitative study involving 108 adolescents treated at the NESA outpatient clinic, with data collected from medical records from December 2006 to February 2007. The results indicate that the majority of the adolescents studied are female (71%), aged 15-17 years (46.3%), with incomplete elementary education (38%), from the city of Rio de Janeiro (52.7%), and have the most frequent medical diagnoses of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (39 cases); juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) (25 cases) and use oral medication as the main treatment (49%). Regarding hospitalization, there was a certain balance in the percentage of those who were hospitalized (54%) compared to those who had never had this experience (46%). This work provides a better understanding by the scientific community and society about who these adolescents with rheumatic disease are from a large metropolis who are welcomed in a quality and reference public service.