title: Health related quality of life amongst people affected by leprosy in South Ghana: a needs assessment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) among leprosy-affected elderly people at three leprosoria located in South Ghana.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy elderly people who have been cured of leprosy but were undergoing socio-economic rehabilitation at three selected Leprosaria in the southern part of Ghana, were involved in this study. They comprised 31 female and 39 male adults with leprosy-related residual impairment and disability. The main outcome measure was a standardised HRQOL questionaire which comprised physical functioning, role functioning, social functioning, cognitive functioning, health perception and pain. Descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation were used to summarize the data whilst relationships and comparisons among and between the variables were evaluated using linear regression analysis and independent t-test respectively. Alpha level was set at P < 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the participants was 59.7 +/- 13-5 years. The overall mean score of the subjects (40.9 +/- 7.6) on the six domains of the questionnaire was below average. The highest and lowest mean scores were obtained in social functioning (56.9 +/- 20.1) and physical functioning (15.0 +/- 25.1) domains respectively. All the domains were significantly and positively correlated (P < 0.05) with the overall HRQOL scores. Age had no significant relationship (P > 0.05) on any of the domains and the overall HRQOL scores. Male participants scored signicantly higher (P < 0.05) than their female peer on cognitive functioning and HRQOL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated low QOL among the sampled elderly people affected by leprosy at the selected leprosoria, thus stressing the need for measures that could improve their health and socio-economic status within the settlements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Ghana, P.O.Box KB 143, Accra, Ghana. badmus@chs.edu.gh
authors.forename: Ajediran I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Bello
authors.forename: Sylvester A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Dengzee
authors.forename: Fidelis T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Iyor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires