Japanese leprosy patients continue to fight social stigma

The Lancet ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 363 (9408) ◽  
pp. 544 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin McCurry
Keyword(s):  
Social Stigma ◽  
Leprosy Patients

scholarly journals Visible disability as a presenting feature of leprosy: a rare but real concern in post-elimination phase in India

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 457
Author(s):  
Vasudha A. Belgaumkar ◽  
Ravindranath B. Chavan ◽  
Nitika S. Deshmukh ◽  
Dhanshri D. Gangode
Keyword(s):  
Social Stigma ◽  
Delayed Diagnosis ◽  
Motor Impairment ◽  
Careful Examination ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Saddle Nose ◽  
Global Rate ◽  
Rare Manifestation ◽  
Leprosy Patients ◽  
Health Significance

<p class="abstract">Leprosy (Hansen's disease) is a chronic infectious disease caused by <em>Mycobacterium leprae</em>, affecting mainly peripheral nerves and skin. Delayed diagnosis contributes to sensory-motor impairment leading to deformity and disability, thereby imposing a major impact on the physical, social, economic and psychological domains of the quality of life of affected individuals. Deformities and disabilities are largely preventable complications associated with tremendous social stigma and discrimination, assuming public health significance. India declared elimination of leprosy more than a decade and half ago in 2005. Hence, grade 2 disability is expected to be a rare manifestation in the post-elimination era. However, to the contrary, the proportion of new leprosy patients with visible disability recorded in India exceeds the global rate. Herein we report a middle-aged female presenting with saddle nose, bilateral fixed ulnar and mobile median claw hands (grade 2 disability) with multiple trophic ulcers. This case emphasizes that clinical suspicion after careful examination of skin and neural manifestations is of utmost importance for the early diagnosis of leprosy. Timely self-reporting and management with WHO-multi drug therapy (MDT) remains the key to minimize the risk of deformity and disability. Above all, it is essential to create awareness amongst the community regarding prompt recognition of symptoms and easy access to appropriate care along with intensified efforts to address the associated stigma.</p>

scholarly journals Profil Dehabilitasi Pasien Kusta di Rumah Sakit Kusta Alverno Singkawang: Studi Pendahuluan

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 30
Author(s):  
Sri Linuwih Susetyo Wardhani Menaldi ◽  
Valensia Vivian The ◽  
Inosensia Diajeng Kusumo ◽  
Melani Marissa
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Social Stigma ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Permanent Disability ◽  
Treatment Type ◽  
Chinese Ethnicity ◽  
Leprosy Patients ◽  
Preliminary Study ◽  
Multibacillary Leprosy

Abstrak Kusta dapat menyebabkan disabilitas permanen yang memengaruhi fisik dan psikis pasien. Stigmadiri dan stigma sosial menyebabkan pasien mengalami dehabilitasi yang dapat menurunkan kualitashidup penyandangnya. Penelitian ini merupakan studi pendahuluan yang bertujuan untuk mendapatkanprofil dehabilitasi pasien kusta termasuk orang yang pernah mengalami kusta (OYPMK). Penelitian inimenggunakan metode potong lintang untuk menilai profil dehabilitasi pasien kusta dan OYPMK menggunakanskala dehabilitasi Anandaraj di RS Kusta Alverno Singkawang, bulan Juli 2019. Delapan puluh delapan subjekdiikutkan dalam penelitian ini. Analisis data dilakukan menggunakan uji Mann Whitney untuk menilai hubungantipe kusta dan derajat dehabilitasi, serta uji Kruskal Wallis untuk melihat hubungan antara reaksi kusta danderajat disabilitas terhadap skala dehabilitasi. Analisis dilakukan menggunakan perangkat lunak SPSS formac. Subjek terbanyak adalah laki-laki, usia produktif, bekerja sebagai petani, berpenghasilan kurang dari 1,5juta per bulan, tidak bersekolah, sudah menikah, etnis Tionghoa, tinggal di dalam rumah yang padat, memilikikeluarga serumah yang menderita kusta, terdiagnosis kusta tipe multibasiler, pernah mengalami reaksi dantelah menyelesaikan pengobatan. Dari penelitian ini didapatkan bahwa tipe kusta dan disabilitas derajat noldan dua berhubungan dengan skala dehabilitasi Anandaraj (p<0.05). Stigma terhadap kusta hingga kinimerupakan masalah yang belum dapat diatasi. Stigma dan disabilitas akibat kusta berperan penting terhadapkejadian dehabilitasi yang menyebabkan penurunan kualitas hidup pasien kusta dan OYPMK. Kata kunci: Anandaraj, dehabilitasi, kusta, Singkawang.   Dehabilitation Profile of Leprosy Patients in Alverno Singkawang Hospital: a Preliminary Study Abstract Leprosy causes permanent disability that affects both physical and psychological aspect of the patient.Self-stigma and social stigma cause dehabilitation; therefore, reducing the quality of life of the patients. Thisresearch is a preliminary study to assess the dehabilitation profile of leprosy patients, including people whohave had leprosy (OYPMK). A cross-sectional method was used to assess the dehabilitation scale of leprosypatients in Alverno Leprosy Hospital, Singkawang, using the Anandaraj dehabilitation scale. Eighty-eightsubjects were included in the analysis. Mann-Whitney test was done to analyze the association betweentype of leprosy and dehabilitation scale, and Kruskal Wallis test was done to analyze the association betweenleprosy reaction and grade of disability with dehabilitation scale. Most subjects are male, productive age,farmers, less than 1.5 million wages per month, uneducated, married, Chinese ethnicity, living in a crowdedhouse, had a family with leprosy, diagnosed with multibacillary leprosy, had an episode of leprosy reaction danreleased from treatment. Type of leprosy and WHO disability grade 0 and 2 are related to the dehabilitationscale. Leprosy stigmatization is still a worrisome problem. Together with the disability, stigmatization affectsthe dehabilitation scale of leprosy patients leading to reduced quality of life. Keywords: Anandaraj, dehabilitation, leprosy, Singkawang.

scholarly journals Understanding non-compliance with WHO-multidrug therapy among leprosy patients in Assam, India

2010 ◽  
Vol 01 (01) ◽  
pp. 09-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sumit Kar ◽  
Ranabir Pal ◽  
Dharamvir Ranajan Bharati
Keyword(s):  
Social Class ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Social Stigma ◽  
Cohort Analysis ◽  
Educational Status ◽  
World Health ◽  
Multidrug Therapy ◽  
Leprosy Patients ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
Health Organization

ABSTRACT Objectives: The study was undertaken to assess the adherence to World Health Organization (WHO)-multidrug therapy (MDT) and its successful completion by the leprosy patients and the extent of such defaulting, its correlates and reasons. Design: Retrograde cohort analysis was conducted during the fi rst quarter of 2007 from the cases registered for WHO-MDT treatment during 2002 to 2005 in Kamrup district of Assam, India. Results: A total of 254 leprosy cases refl ected the treatment seeking behavior of registered cases during the study period. Majority of the cases were from urban areas and defaulter rate higher in urban areas. The study group consisted of 60.63% males and 39.37% females. Both the compliance and default was higher in the age group of 16 to 30 years. Majority of defaulters (32.28%) had passed the high school leaving certifi cate examination had per capita monthly income between Rs 500 - 749 (30.71%) and belonged to social class IV (33.86%) and V (30.71%). Signifi cant statistical association was found between gender, literacy status, per capita income per month and socioeconomic status with treatment outcome. On analysis for the reasons of defaulting treatment; majority (33.07%) defaulted treatment due to loss of occupational hours when they come for receiving drugs at health center, 25.98% defaulted due to adverse reactions of drugs and 18.11% feared social stigma among major causes. Conclusions: The causes of defaulting treatment were related to gender, educational status, income as well as social class, or some combination of these. Recommendations, on strategic interventions to obviate the cause for noncompliance, were presented.

scholarly journals The Psychosocial Experiences in Ex-Leprosy Patients: A Qualitative Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 733-742
Author(s):  
Mohammad Jufriyanto ◽  
Ah Yusuf ◽  
Mundakir Mundakir
Keyword(s):  
Social Life ◽  
Social Stigma ◽  
Social Activity ◽  
Stress Coping ◽  
Psychosocial Experiences ◽  
Leprosy Patients ◽  
Stress Coping Strategies ◽  
Response To Stress ◽  
Field Notes ◽  
Depth Interviews

Ex-leprosy is a leprosy patient who has undergone treatment and is declared cured from a medical examination. The ex-leprosy have psychological and social problems due to disability and community stigma, caused them difficulty in re-socializing with the community. The aim is to identify the psychosocial experiences of ex leprosy in living their social life. This research is a phenomenological descriptive qualitative research method. The number of participants in this study were twelve using purposive sampling. Data collection using in-depth interviews  and field notes, analyzed by the Collaizi method. This study produced six main themes, Social stigma, Support system, Able to do activities, Response to stress, Coping strategies, and Social support. Participants' social activity after recovering from leprosy has increased although there is still a stigma in some communities. Support from family and community is needed as well as good coping mechanisms for ex leprosy patients.

scholarly journals Health Seeking Processes of Leprosy Patients in a Hill District of Nepal

AMC Journal ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-24
Author(s):  
Ulla-Britt Engelbrektsson ◽  
Madhusudan Subedi
Keyword(s):  
Social Stigma ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
Health Seeking ◽  
Beliefs And Practices ◽  
Services Sector ◽  
Hill District ◽  
Leprosy Patients ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Depth Interviews

To shorten delays in leprosy diagnosis, health-seeking processes have to be understood and documented. In 2015, the International Nepal Fellowship launched a three-year research project on the subject. One part of the project was a community study in which recent health-seeking efforts were to be studied in the light of earlier ones. The focus of this article is upon insights gained in field research in a village and its immediate surroundings in the district of Jajarkot, western Nepal. The research highlights the importance of a longitudinal, patient-focused study that covers the period from just before the start of leprosy services until late 2018. The research methods include participant observations, narratives, in-depth interviews, and documentary and statistical enquiries. The research shows that the introduction of the Multi Drug Therapy (MDT) in the early 1980s has drastically changed the local leprosy situation. The number of new cases has declined, there are far less impairments and disabilities, and those recognized as affected are no longer excommunicated. However, the delays before diagnosis tend to be long. A lack of leprosy diagnosing skills within the health services sector is one reason. The residents not recognizing early signs and symptoms is another. An expectation of leprosy endemic in certain kinship groups, and not in others, is yet another. And, for some, so is the fear of social stigma. Moreover, there is the delaying factor of more than one set of beliefs and practices in relation to leprosy:a traditional, mainly magic-religious outlook and approach which co-exists with allopathic (biomedical) views and methods.

scholarly journals Effect of Educational Program on Health Consequences of Patients with Leprosy

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 12
Author(s):  
Amany L. Ahmed ◽  
Nermen A. Mohamed
Keyword(s):  
Health Education ◽  
Educational Program ◽  
Social Stigma ◽  
Health Consequences ◽  
Remarkable Effect ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Leprosy Patients ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Knowledge Practice

Context: Leprosy remains a leading cause of peripheral neuropathy and disability globally despite the extensive efforts to reduce the disease burden. It is associated with social stigma, and the patients sometimes suffer social discrimination because it often leads to visible physical deformities. Aim: The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of educational program on the health consequences of patients with leprosy. Methods: The study was conducted at outpatient clinics in Dermatology Hospital affiliated to the Ministry of Health and population. A quasi-experimental (pre/post-test) design was used on a purposive sample of 72 leprosy patients. Four tools were used to collect the data for this study: A structured interviewing questionnaire, a patients' reported practices checklist, an attitude assessment scale for patients with leprosy, and health consequences assessment questionnaire for patients with leprosy.   Results: The current study reveals a significant improvement in the patients’ knowledge, reported practice, and attitude toward leprosy. A significant improvement in health consequences (problems and needs) after education compared with the preintervention level. An association between the total knowledge, practice, and attitude after health education was significant (p<0.001). An association between the mean and standard deviation of knowledge, practice, and attitude before and after the health education program was significant (p<0.001). Conclusion: Educational program had a remarkable effect on improving patients' knowledge, practice level, patient attitude, and health consequences (problems and needs) of leprosy. The study recommended applying educational programs for patients with leprosy in different health care settings focusing on prevention from disabilities.

scholarly journals Leprosy in the post elimination era: a retrospective descriptive study from district Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 1667
Author(s):  
Sonika Sangra ◽  
Neha Choudhary ◽  
Nazuk Razdan
Keyword(s):  
Communicable Disease ◽  
Social Stigma ◽  
Pediatric Population ◽  
Social Process ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Descriptive Study ◽  
Major Public Health Problem ◽  
Jammu And Kashmir ◽  
Leprosy Patients

Background: Leprosy is often referred to as the oldest disease known to man. Leprosy as a social disease has been a major public health problem because of the social stigma and ignorance attached to it. India achieved elimination status for leprosy in 2005; however, the reported prevalence continues to be high in some of the states. Leprosy understood as God’s retribution, has been present since the colonial times. Stigma attached to leprosy is typically a social process, experienced or anticipated, characterized by exclusion, rejection, blame or devaluation that result from experience, perception or reasonable anticipation of an adverse social judgment about a person or group. Objective was to study the demographic and epidemiological features of leprosy in the post-elimination era.Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted from July 2019 to September 2019. Case records of newly diagnosed leprosy patients were included in the study. The secondary data was collected from district leprosy society Kathua retrospectively for a period of nine and half years (from April 2010 to September 2019). Data was entered in Microsoft excel and Descriptive statistics were analysed.Results: In our study, 154 total leprosy cases were registered from April 2010 to September 2019. Among the demographic details of leprosy cases, maximum number of cases were in the age group of 31-40 years (38.31%) and childhood leprosy cases were 1.94%. Majority of cases were females as compared to males. Out of 154 cases, 35 cases were outsiders registered in the Kathua district. The treatment completion rate was 100%, no defaulter cases were reported from the past decade.Conclusions: Leprosy continues to be a communicable disease of concern in the post-elimination era. This alarms the need to strengthen contact screening, early case detection, referral activities and even more focus on the pediatric population to sustain elimination.

Phenomenology Study of Self-Efficacy of Leprosy Patients Due to Social Stigma

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (02) ◽  
pp. 4106-4114
Author(s):  
Magita Novita Sari ◽  
Joni Haryanto ◽  
Herdina Mariyanti
Keyword(s):  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Social Stigma ◽  
Leprosy Patients
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