01944nas a2200349   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001500055653001000070653001000080653001200090653001100102653001100113653001000124653001200134653000900146653003800155653002300193653001700216653002100233100001200254700001700266700001600283700001600299700001600315245009700331300001100428490000700439050003200446520110200478022001401580       1983                            d  c1983 Apr10aAdolescent10aAdult10aChild10aDapsone10aFemale10aHumans10aIndia10aleprosy10aMale10aPatient Acceptance of Health Care10aPatient Compliance10aTime Factors10aUrban Population1 aKumar A1 aSivaprasad N1 aAnbalagan M1 aThangavel N1 aDurgambal K00aUtilization of medical agencies and treatment compliance by urban (Madras) leprosy patients.  a322-320 v55  aInfolep Library - available3 a<p>The utilization of medical agencies and treatment compliance by 3880 leprosy patients registered with Govt. Leprosy Control Unit, Saidapet, Madras were studied. It was observed that 39% patients waited for 1.32 (+/- 1.75) years before medical consultation, for their negligence and unawareness of disease. About 16% and 4% patients consulted Gen. Hospitals and Private Practitioners, respectively. The leprosy clinics were most popular, 35% patients changed medical agencies. On an average, one patient had consulted 1.47 (+/- 0.51) medical agencies and 1.23 (+/- 0.52) leprosy clinics, for treatment of leprosy. Only 45% patient attended clinic regularly, others attended irregularly (22.5%) or discontinued (32.4%). The unsuitable clinic timing (morning) was an important factor for defaulting the clinics. Of the 2625 (67.66%) patients who attended last clinic, one patient had missed an average of 5.5 (+/- 8.3) DDS tablets in a month. The implications of findings and suggestions to improve the service utilization with good compliance by patients, are discussed in this communication.</p>  a0024-1024