02462nas a2200253   4500000000100000008004100001260004600042653003100088653001900119653002300138653001100161653002200172100001200194700001300206700001300219700001300232700001500245245010600260856013300366300001400499490000700513520166300520022002502183       2025                            d  bOvid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)10aMycobacterium lepraemurium10aHansen disease10aHealthcare workers10aStigma10aLeprosy diagnosis1 aMohan R1 aMary JJF1 aBalaji R1 aReveda M1 aKrishnan P00aStrengthening leprosy control through capacity building of allied health workers: A pre–post design  uhttps://journals.lww.com/jfmpc/fulltext/2025/11000/strengthening_leprosy_control_through_capacity.47.aspx?context=latestarticles  a4738-47430 v143 a<p><strong>Introduction:</strong></p>

<p>The main hurdles to achieving early diagnosis and management of leprosy and its complications are lack of community awareness and the challenging social stigma. Healthcare workers play a key role in increasing community awareness and eliminating stigma about leprosy, and it is one of the important responsibilities. The objective of the study is to assess the knowledge of Allied Health Sciences (AHS) students about leprosy before and after the training program and to explore the stigma prevailing in the society about leprosy.</p>

<p><strong>Materials and Methods:</strong></p>

<p>It was a pre- and post-test mixed-method study involving both quantitative and qualitative components. Group discussion was conducted for 74 AHS students (lab technicians and nursing students). A paired t -test was used for pre and post-test analysis. Manual content analysis was done for the statements that emerged during the group discussion.</p>

<p><strong>Results:</strong></p>

<p>The mean change in overall score was 0.228, which was significant ( t = 7.54, P &lt; 0.01). There was an improvement in the knowledge score after training. The Pearson correlation coefficient between pre-test knowledge score and post-test scores was significant ( r = 0.318, P = 0.04). The majority of them stated that leprosy patients will be isolated by the community as stigma remains a main challenge.</p>

<p><strong>Conclusion:</strong></p>

<p>Implementation of need-based health education and sensitization programs should be improved, and more emphasis needs to be placed on early case identification of leprosy.</p>
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