title: Physical disability and social participation in patients affected by leprosy after discontinuation of multidrug therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the social participation frequency and the physical disability of patients who were discharged after the multidrug therapy (MDT/WHO) and factors associated with these variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional and analytical study, examining associations, which took place Nova Iguaçu/Brazil. A random sample of patients treated with multidrug therapy from 1997 to 2006 was selected. The rationale for sample size was determined by the estimated proportion of physical disability in the amount of 23%, with an acceptable sampling error rate of 5%; significance level was established as 5% among the 1080 patients finally a total sample of 225 patients. The evaluations were performed from January 2010 to December 2011 and Socio-demographic and clinical data were collected from the applications completed in the national notifiable diseases information system (SINAN).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the period of interest, 2179 cases were diagnosed with leprosy; 1080 met the criteria for inclusion. Of these, 225 were randomly selected patients who had mean age 56.12 (±17.34 years), 55.6% were women, 39.9% went to high school and 28.9% were Caucasians. A total of 55.3% (125) showed multibacillary form, with a predominant dimorphous leprosy in 40.4%. Physical disability was present in 60.9% and social restrictions in 24.9% of patients. The variable physical disability was associated with the therapeutic regimen multibacillary and social participation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We observed a high frequency of disability and social restriction after long period after the start of MDT/WHO suggesting the late diagnosis of leprosy or inadequate follow-up after discharge. This study highlights the importance of systematic monitoring of these patients with their own criteria which could be held at the Family Health Strategy.
authors.forename: Luiz Eduardo
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: de Castro
authors.forename: Antônio José Ledo Alves
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: da Cunha
authors.forename: Ana Paula
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Fontana
authors.forename: Vera Lúcia Rabello
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: de Castro Halfoun
authors.forename: Maria Kátia
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Gomes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007917:Leprostatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007918:Leprosy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058992:Social Participation; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007917:Leprostatic Agents