@article{16077,
  keywords = {Adult, Attitude to Health, Health Education, Humans, India, leprosy, National Health Programs, Preventive Health Services, Public Opinion, Rural Population, Urban Population},
  author = {Kumar A and Prasad N S and Sirumban P and Anbalagan M and Durgambal K},
  title = {Community awareness about leprosy and participation in National Leprosy Control Programme.},
  abstract = {<p>To evaluate the health education component of our National Leprosy Control Programme (NLCP), 955 adult community members and 225 adult leprosy patients were interviewed with a view to assess their awareness about leprosy and participation in NLCP. The early signs/symptoms of leprosy were poorly perceived by the community. Majority of the community (81%) and patients (75%) were unaware or held superstitious ideas about causation of leprosy. The spread of disease through close contact with patient(s) was better known to the community (65%) than the patients (45%); but the role of open cases in spread was stressed by more patients (17%) than community (5.5%). About 31% community and 23% patients had no idea about the ways to prevent leprosy spread. As against 89% patients, only 62% community believed in curability of leprosy with early and regular treatment; but 20% of the community members did not know where to refer patients for treatment. The causation and prevention of deformities were poorly perceived by 71% patients, and likewise 62% of the patients did not take precaution(s) to prevent the deformities. About 32% respondents were unaware of the efforts being made to control leprosy; and their (79-84% respondents) participation in NLCP was very vague. About 44% community members showed prejudice towards leprosy. The NLCP infra-structure and mass media could not educate community effectively. The implications of the findings are discussed in this paper.</p>},
  year = {1983},
  journal = {Leprosy in India},
  volume = {55},
  pages = {701-11},
  month = {1983 Oct},
  issn = {0024-1024},
  language = {eng},
}