OBJECTIVE: To analyze factors associated with relapse of leprosy.
METHODS: Retrospective case-control study including 159 patients older than 15 diagnosed with leprosy attending reference centers for leprosy in five municipalities in the state of Mato Grosso, central-western Brazil. Cases (n=53) were patients with relapsed leprosy diagnosed from 2005 to 2007 who were compared with controls (n=106) matching for gender and operational classification who were considered cured after treatment in 2005. Data was obtained from the local Notifiable Diseases Database, medical records and interviews. For the analyses conditional logistic regression and hierarchical approaches were used.
RESULTS: After adjustment, the following factors were associated with relapse of leprosy: living in rental housing (OR = 4.1; 95%CI: 1.43;12.04); living in houses constructed of wood and mud (OR = 3.2; 95%CI: 1.16;8.76); living with dwellings with more than five people (OR = 2.1; 95%CI: 1.03;4.36); alcohol use disorder (OR = 2.8; 95%CI: 1.17;6.79); irregular treatment (OR =3.8; 95%CI: 1.44;10.02); lack of knowledge about the disease/treatment (OR = 2.6; 95%CI: 1.09;6.13); use of public transportation to get to the clinic (OR = 5.5; 95%CI: 2.36;12.63); clinical form of the disease (OR = 7.1; 95%CI: 2.48;20.52), and treatment regimen (OR = 3.7; 95%CI: 1.49;9.11).
CONCLUSIONS: The predictive factors of relapse are associated with housing conditions, living habits, organization of health services, clinical forms of leprosy and treatment regimen. Health services should educate patients on the disease as well as ensure consistent treatment.
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