01995nas a2200217   4500000000100000008004100001260003400042653001000076653001200086653001900098653002500117653001100142100001800153700001400171700001500185700002000200700003200220245012100252520137900373022002501752       2025                            d  bOxford University Press (OUP)10aIndia10aLeprosy10aRehabilitation10aSocial Participation10aStigma1 aGovindharaj P1 aAgrawal S1 aRamasamy S1 aPanneerselvam S1 aBharathi Shanmugasundaram S00aSocial participation of people affected with leprosy in India: what does the literature tell us? A systematic review3 a<p>Leprosy is a public health concern in India, with significant social stigma and exclusion faced by affected individuals. Social participation is a critical component of rehabilitation and overall well-being, yet limited evidence has been synthesized regarding the associated factors. Therefore, this systematic review aimed to provide an overview of the social participation of people affected by leprosy from the existing literature in India. Scopus, PubMed and InfoLep databases were searched to identify the articles for the systematic review, which only includes studies conducted in India. The critical appraisal tool of cross-sectional studies—AXIS—was used to assess the study quality and risk of bias. The search identified 458 articles; 23 full-text articles were considered for eligibility, six of which were included in the review. All studies used the Participation Scale to assess social participation in individuals with leprosy. Findings showed associations between older age, female gender, lower socioeconomic status, longer disease duration and the multibacillary form of leprosy with participation restrictions. To overcome the restrictions on the social activities of people affected by leprosy, a comprehensive approach, consisting of health promotion activities, early accessible healthcare and improved rehabilitation services, is needed.</p>
  a0035-9203, 1878-3503