[Epidemiology of leprosy through the study of frequency of visits to the Trillo Specialized Hospital in 1943-1995].
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study is to describe the social-demographic and clinical profile of hospitalised leprosy patients and to check whether typology has changed during the history of the centre.


METHODS
Descriptive and retrospective study, performed by means of reviewing a sample of the patient records registered at the Centre since it was founded in 1943 until 1995. 366 cases were chosen by means of a systematic random sample and questionnaires completed on social-demographic and clinical variables.


RESULTS
Most of the patients were male (71.9%, IC: 67.3-76.4), young (39.6 years of age, IC: 37.9-41.4), single (46.2%, IC: 41-51.3%) with low levels of education (illiteracy: 54.1%, IC: 40-69) with occupations relating to farming (35.5%, IC: 30.6-40.4) from Southern Spanish regions (patients from Andalucía 52.8%, IC: 45.8-54). The disease showed a family background in 31.1% of cases (IC: 26.4-35.9) and serious multibacillary forms (Lepromatose Leprosy 66.1%, IC: 61.2-71), which affected lower limbs in 72.1% of cases, heads in 63.1% and upper limbs in 64.4%. Global mortality of people admitted to hospital was 31.1% (IC: 26.4-35.9). During the surveyed period, patient age increased, and symptoms and mortality decreased. In general, hospital stays were for long periods (7.1 years, IC: 6.1-8.1), although at the end of the surveyed period, stays decreased considerably, in accordance with the duration of treatment (2.2 years).


CONCLUSIONS
A Young male, in a precarious financial situation living in the South of Spain appear to be the patient profile which, with severe initial anatomical symptoms and later favourable results may represent the disease in a country with an autocuthonous endemy and characteristic epidemiology, which is in the pre-eradication phase.
Urbina Torija
J R
JR
Delegación de Sanidad, Junta de Comunidades Castilla la Mancha.
García Salazar
M P
MP
Letón Pastor
M M
MM
Ruiz Pérez
R
R
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology