02163nas a2200313   4500000000100000008004100001260001700042653001000059653002100069653001100090653001100101653001000112653001200122653000900134653002000143653003300163653003000196653002600226653002100252100001300273700001200286700001300298245011400311300001100425490000700436050003200443520136000475022001401835       2006                            d  c2006 Oct-Dec10aAdult10aAge Distribution10aFemale10aHumans10aIndia10aleprosy10aMale10aMedical Records10aOutpatient Clinics, Hospital10aReferral and Consultation10aRetrospective Studies10aSex Distribution1 aPandey A1 aPatel R1 aRathod H00aComparative profile of new leprosy cases coming to a referral institute in pre- and post-integration periods.  a339-460 v78  aInfolep Library - available3 a<p>This article presents findings from a retrospective analysis of 3031 new leprosy cases attending the Out-patient Department of the Regional Leprosy Training and Research Institute, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, during the period January 2000-December 2005. The analysis was carried out in order to compare the profiles of new leprosy cases between pre- and post-integration periods. The cut-off date, in order to distinguish between the two groups, was determined as 31st December 2002. A comparison was made between the two groups on identified host- and disease-related variables and its significance was tested using suitable statistical tests. The results showed that there was more than 50% increase in the number of new leprosy cases coming to the OPD of the RLTRI during the post-integration period. The mean age at registration showed an increase of 0.9 years, while the proportion of child and female cases showed a decrease of 7.7% and 4.3% respectively during the same period. Significant decline was also recorded in the proportion of grade II deformity cases (11.8%) and cases with type I lepra reaction (11.4%) during the post-integration period. The study emphasizes the need for developing an effective referral mechanism and proper screening of cases at the PHC level for better utilization of referral institutions in a need-based manner.</p>  a0254-9395