02954nas a2200301   4500000000100000008004100001260004100042653001500083653001500098653001100113653001800124653001000142653000900152100001300161700001600174700001200190700001300202700001200215700001300227700001300240700001300253245015600266856026000422300001100682490000700693520192700700022002502627       2026                            d  c05/2026bNepal Journals Online (JOL)10aDisability10aWHODAS 2.010aStigma10aMental Health10aNepal10aHADS1 aSharma P1 aBhandari AR1 aSingh S1 aGurung G1 aJoshi C1 aShakya R1 aAmatya A1 aShakya R00aPattern of Disability and its Relationship with Disease Related Physical Involvement, Stigma, and Mental Health Status among People Living with Leprosy  uhttps://www.researchgate.net/profile/Pawan-Sharma-7/publication/404443239_Pattern_of_disability_and_its_relationship_with_disease_related_physical_involvement_stigma_and_mental_health_status_among_people_living_with_leprosy/links/69f9b6d4964b1d1df98d8a73/  a4 - 100 v243 a<p><strong>Background:</strong></p>

<p>Leprosy continues to be a major cause of preventable disability, particularly in low-resource settings. While its physical impairments are well-documented, the relationship between disability, leprosy-related stigma, and mental health remains underexplored, especially in marginalized communities. This study aimed to assess the pattern of disability and its association with disease-related physical involvement, stigma, and mental health among people living in a leprosy colony in Nepal.</p>

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

<p>A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 119 residents of Khokana Arogya Ashram, a sheltered colony for people affected by leprosy. Data were collected on socio-demographic and clinical profiles, stigma (SARI Stigma Scale), mental health status (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale – HADS), and disability (12-item WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 – WHODAS 2.0). Non-parametric statistical tests (Spearman correlation and Mann-Whitney U-test) were used to assess associations.</p>

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

<p>The highest disability scores were noted in the “getting along” domain, while “mobility” had the lowest. Overall disability scores were significantly associated with age, lower education, leprosy-related ulcers, eye involvement, facial palsy, aesthetic disfigurement, and elevated HADS scores. However, there was no statistically significant association between stigma scores and disability.</p>

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

<p>Among people affected by leprosy in a segregated community, disability was more closely associated with physical impairment and mental health symptoms than with perceived stigma. These findings emphasize the need for comprehensive care approaches that address both physical and psychological aspects of disability in leprosy.</p>
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