RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Leprosy subjects are strongly affected not only by physical issues such as peripheral neuropathy but also by massive social exclusion that may be related to quality of life (QoL) impairment. However, there are as yet no studies evaluating the impact of perceived stigma in conjunction with neuropathy on QoL and the respective role of each one on QoL. OBJECTIVE: The present study aims to investigate the variations in clinical and socio-demographic profile of Hansen's disease patients with/without perception of social exclusion (PSE) and neuropathy as the impact of both conditions on their QoL. METHODS: A sample of 160 consecutive leprosy outpatients seeking treatment in two reference centers for leprosy in Brazil was recruited. Patients were assessed using a socio-demographic questionnaire, M.I.N.I. PLUS and SF-36. Data from medical records were also collected. Participants were divided into four groups: control group, perceived stigma, neuropathy, and stigma neuropathy. RESULTS: Of the 160 patients who consented to participate, 78.75% completed the survey. All four groups were similar in terms of demographic parameters, except for occupational status, which was compensated statistically. The group with neuropathy and PSE reported the worst QoL in half of the evaluated domains. The cross-sectional design does not allow cause and effect to be established between variables, and the relatively small sample size may limit the ability to demonstrate a relative decrease in QoL scores from the isolated variables analyzed. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this survey show that the presence of both neuropathy and PSE significantly increases impairment in QoL, especially in some specific domains.
Assuntos
Hanseníase/psicologia , Doenças do Sistema Nervoso Periférico/psicologia , Qualidade de Vida/psicologia , Isolamento Social/psicologia , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Brasil , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Adulto JovemAssuntos
Pessoas com Deficiência , Hanseníase/complicações , Doenças do Sistema Nervoso Periférico/etiologia , Preconceito , Pessoas com Deficiência/psicologia , Pessoas com Deficiência/reabilitação , Humanos , Hanseníase/epidemiologia , Hanseníase/terapia , Doenças do Sistema Nervoso Periférico/psicologia , Doenças do Sistema Nervoso Periférico/terapiaRESUMO
Leprosy, a result of infection by Mycobacterium leprae, is a leading cause of peripheral neuropathy. The World Health Organization aimed to eliminate leprosy as a public health problem by 2000, but this has not been attained. Patients with leprosy continue to present in the UK. The diagnosis of leprosy is frequently not considered, with resultant pathological and psychological problems for patients.