Treatment adherence under the foucauldian perspective: knowledge/powers in tuberculosis control manuals in Brazil

ABSTRACT Objective Investigate which knowledge emerges in the Tuberculosis Control Manuals and how power relations are established for treatment adherence. Method Documentary and qualitative research on five Manuals published between 2002 and 2019, available on the Ministry of Health’s Website, based on Michel Foucault’s theoretical and methodological framework. Results 1. Knowledge: emerges as human resource training; health surveillance actions; medicalization; and multifunctionality of nurses in addressing the social determinants of tuberculosis. 2. Power relations: occur through articulation between different subjects and establish disciplines on the body and the behavior of the person undergoing treatment. Conclusions Certain knowledge/powers constitute the actions of treatment adherence to tuberculosis treatment and normalize the “correct/true” way of conducting disease control. Such behaviors refer to self-responsibility, autonomy and empowerment of the subject and do not consider the countless conditions of vulnerability existing in the history of people with tuberculosis.