title: Factors associated with the worsening of the disability grade during leprosy treatment in Brazil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyse factors associated with the worsening of physical disabilities during the treatment of leprosy in Brazil in cases that were newly diagnosed in 2009.
  
  
  METHODS
  This epidemiological study performed as a retrospective cohort investigated the factors associated with the worsening of the physical disability grade during the treatment of paucibacillary and multibacillary leprosy cases. Logistic regression with a confidence interval of 95% was used to analyse the variables associated with the worsening of disability grade.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cases with the greatest odds for worsening physical disability grade were patients from the south (odds ratio [OR] = 2.60) and southeast regions (OR = 1.74); with multibacillary disease (OR = 3.48); who were illiterate (OR = 2.26); and with reactive episodes (OR = 2.42).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The factors associated with higher odds of worsening physical disability during treatment demonstrate failure to apply appropriate remedial measures to prevent disabilities, and greater attention should be given to patients with the most severe disease.
authors.forename: Letícia Gomes
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cortela
authors.forename: Rosa Castalia França Ribeiro
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Eliane
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ignotti
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D007917:Leprostatic Agents; D007918:Leprosy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D007917:Leprostatic Agents