01782nas a2200229   4500000000100000008004100001260001700042653001100059653002100070653001100091653001200102653002300114653002700137100001500164700001400179700001900193245011700212300001100329490000700340520119100347022001401538       2003                            d  c2003 Jan-Feb10aBrazil10aEndemic Diseases10aHumans10aleprosy10aProgram evaluation10aQuality of Health Care1 aAquino DMC1 aSantos JS1 aLopes Costa JM00a[Assessment of a leprosy control program in a hyperendemic county in the State of Maranhão, Brazil, 1991-1995].  a119-250 v193 a<p>This is a descriptive study to assess the leprosy control program in the municipality of Buriticupu in Maranhão State, Brazil. The records of 214 patients with different forms of leprosy were studied. Patients were treated at a health center of the Federal University in Maranhão located in the above-mentioned municipality. The study population was comprised of 110 cases with paucibacillary leprosy (PB) and 104 with multibacillary leprosy (MB). The patients were registered between January 1991 and December 1995. Data on the form of the disease, number of contacts registered, examined, and assessed, degree of disability at the beginning and end of treatment, and the register's status were collected on a form designed specifically for this purpose. Analysis of results was based on operational guidelines developed by the Ministry of Health. There was a slight predominance of the PB form. Observation of patients with physical disabilities at the beginning and end of treatment was low, as were levels of successful treatment and examined contacts. There was a high dropout level. The program was considered "low-level performance" for all indicators used in the study.</p>  a0102-311X