Educational materials form part of the guidelines for Hansen's disease control programs. The aims of the present study were to describe the process of creating a database for 276 educational materials on Hansen's disease that were produced by public and non-governmental institutions between 1972 and 2008, and to analyze the type, target public and objectives. The database was set up electronically and contained a descriptive and thematic analysis and a link to the complete document containing the materials. The materials were targeted at the general public (75%), healthcare professionals (12%), children and adolescents (6%), individuals with Hansen's disease (3%), and others (4%). Pamphlets (26%), leaflets (24%) and posters (23%) predominated, followed by primers (15%), flipbooks (3%) and others (9%). They aimed to increase self-awareness and case detection and to publicize healthcare services. Biomedical discourse using technical-prescriptive language and hierarchical relationships between enunciator and target predominated.
Educational materials; Hansen's disease; Communication; Os materiais educativos integram as diretrizes de Programas de Controle de Hanseníase
