Chronic diseases which require attention and continuous evaluations and have called for attention ofhealth professionals, specially those who devote themselves to the
area ofPediatric Psychology, who devote themselves to the study of child development, as well as to the relationship between health and sickness and the interferences in the life quality of children and their relatives. This study aims accomplishing a descriptive study to identify variables making easier or more difficult, the adherence to the treatment of caregivers of children with Congenital Hypothyroidism, attended by the Center of Reference in Pará State. Fifty main caregivers ranging between 17 to 55 years of age. Forty mothers, four grandmothers, four fathers and two aunts took part in this study. Variables related to the adherence were identified by means of structured interviews. Program characteristics were analyzed through structured interviews carried out by the team professionals. The analyses of caregivers reports showed that some of the demands to the treatment adherence are not being supplied. Informations about the illness characteristics, etiology, diagnostics, treatment and prognostics are not part of the repertory of most caregivers, independently of age, school degree, degree of relationship with reiatives and time of participation in the Neonatal Selection Programo Significant differences were found regarding the adequate time for the exam accomplishment, which showed the delay of the treatment start. The difficulties described by the professionals as to the adherence to the treatment by the caregivers were attributed not only to the problems showed by the Program structure itselfbut also by the lack of interest to it. The study brings relevant implications to the implantation of more effective and efficacious prevention programs to attend the needs of caregivers and promote the adequate child development.
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