title: Socioeconomic and demographic profile of leprosy carriers attended in nursing consultations.
abstract: Leprosy is a contagious infectious disease that manifests due to unfavorable socioeconomic factors, endemic levels and individual conditions. This study aimed to recognize the socioeconomic and demographic profile and degree of incapacity installed in leprosy carriers attended at the School Health Center in Botucatu. Data were obtained through nursing consultation performed in 37 patients. The results showed a predominance of individuals with stable union (78%), whites (92%), age between 30 and 49 years old (51%), low level of schooling (68% with incomplete primary education) and those with per capita familial income less than one minimum salary (59 %). More than one third of the patients investigated (35%) presented some degree of physical incapacity. The association of low socioeconomic profile with the presence of physical incapacities assigns greater vulnerability to this population and can negatively influence their quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Medical School of Botucatu, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Brazil. mtduarte@fmb.unesp.br
authors.forename: Marli Teresinha Cassamassimo
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.forename: Jairo Aparecido
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ayres
authors.forename: Janete Pessuto
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Simonetti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002353:Carrier State; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000451:nursing; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011637:Public Health Nursing; D011788:Quality of Life; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D035862:Vulnerable Populations