02585nas a2200385   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653003300055653002400088653002800112653001300140653001100153653002100164653002200185653002100207653001800228653001100246653001200257653000900269653001100278653001500289653002900304653003100333100001500364700001200379700001300391700001400404700001400418245014600432856004100578300001200619490000700631520154700638022001402185       2000                            d  c2000 Sep10aAttitude of Health Personnel10aClinical Competence10aCross-Sectional Studies10aEthiopia10aFemale10aHealth Education10aHealth Facilities10aHealth Personnel10aHealth Policy10aHumans10aleprosy10aMale10aNurses10aPhysicians10aRegional Health Planning10aSurveys and Questionnaires1 aAsnake M K1 aAhmed M1 aGenebo T1 aDawit M W1 aMekebib B00aKnowledge and attitude of health professionals in relation to the integration of leprosy control into the general health service in Ethiopia.  uhttp://ila.ilsl.br/pdfs/v68n3a08.pdf  a299-3060 v683 a<p>Since the introduction of multidrug therapy for leprosy patients, the integration of leprosy control in the general health service (GHS) system has been an issue of debate. In Ethiopia, the present policy stresses integrated management of diseases. In spite of the policy, however, leprosy control was a vertical program until 1998 in most parts of the country. A descriptive cross-section study was conducted in the southern region of Ethiopia from October 1996 to March 1997 to determine the levels of involvement of the GHS staff and to identify obstacles to their involvement in the management of leprosy patients. Through a written questionnaire, data were collected from 240 GHS staff, including doctors, nurses and health assistants. It was found that 6% of the GHS staff was involved in leprosy control activities, mainly case finding and health education. Negative attitudes toward leprosy workers were held by 13% of the GHS staff while 40% had intermediate attitudes and the remaining 47% had positive attitudes. Statistically significant differences were found with regard to the level of knowledge among different health professionals, type of health institutions and years of service. The levels of involvement, knowledge and attitude of GHS staff showed that lack of integration and training were core problems. Hence, policy makers should give due attention to promoting the involvement of the GHS staff by integrating the program into the GHS system using the approach already in place in certain parts of the country.</p>  a0148-916X