Perception of social exclusion, neuropathy, and quality of life among Hansen's disease patients.
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.
Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina e Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
Roberta
R
Borges-de-Oliveira
Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina e Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
Clarissa I
CI
Rocha-Leite
Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina e Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
Lucas
L
Araujo-de-Freitas
Medical School, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
Dermival A
DA
Queiroz
Leprosy Clinic, University Hospital Complex Prof. Edgard Santos (Com-HUPES), Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina e Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
Paulo R L
PR
Machado
Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina e Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil Psychiatry Service, University Hospital and Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil lcq@ufba.br.
Lucas C
LC
Quarantini
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012934:Social Isolation / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
Hansen’s disease; Social exclusion; leprosy; neuropathy; quality of life