title: The stigma and prejudice of leprosy: influence on the human condition.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To analyze the knowledge, feelings and perceptions involving patients affected by leprosy, as a better understanding of these factors may be useful to decrease the stigma and prejudice associated with the condition.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study cohort consisted of 94 patients who underwent treatment for leprosy at the Health Units in the City of Cuiabá, Mato Grosso (MT), Brazil. The study questionnaire included items to collect information on socio-demographic data, knowledge about the disease, stigma, prejudice, self-esteem and quality of life of leprosy patients. Bivariate analyses were used to assess the data based on the chi-square test with a 5% significance threshold.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results revealed that the study population consisted predominantly of males (55.3%) with an income between 1 and 3 times the minimum wage (67%). The survey respondents reported that the most significant difficulties related to the treatment were the side effects (44.7%) and the duration of the treatment (28.7%). A total of 72.3% of the subjects were knowledgeable about the disease, of whom 26.6% had the leprosy reaction. Stigma and prejudice were cited by 93.6% of the participants. Based on the responses, 40.4% of patients reported being depressed and sad, and 69.1% of the subjects encountered problems at work after being diagnosed. A total of 45.7% of the patients rated their quality of life between bad and very bad.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that leprosy causes suffering in patients beyond pain and discomfort and greatly influences social participation.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós Graduação em Odontologia Preventiva e Social, Faculdade de Odontologia de Araçatuba, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cléa Adas Saliba
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Garbin
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós Graduação em Odontologia Preventiva e Social, Faculdade de Odontologia de Araçatuba, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Artênio José Ísper
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Garbin
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós Graduação em Odontologia Preventiva e Social, Faculdade de Odontologia de Araçatuba, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Emília Oliveira Gomes
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Carloni
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós Graduação em Odontologia Preventiva e Social, Faculdade de Odontologia de Araçatuba, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tânia Adas Saliba
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Rovida
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós Graduação em Odontologia Preventiva e Social, Faculdade de Odontologia de Araçatuba, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ronald Jefferson
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Martins
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011287:Prejudice / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D057545:Social Stigma; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult