TY - JOUR KW - Attitude of Health Personnel KW - Botswana KW - Community participation KW - Health Education KW - Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice KW - Humans KW - leprosy KW - Patient Acceptance of Health Care AU - Kumaresan J A AU - Maganu E T AB -

The knowledge and attitude of health workers in north-western Botswana towards leprosy was determined by interviewing ninety nine health workers from various health institutions. Knowledge on causation of leprosy was generally lacking. Although majority of respondents knew that the disease is curable, less than half knew the correct duration of treatment. The attitude of service providers was influenced by poor knowledge, and more than a third claimed that patients should be isolated. The pattern of health seeking behaviour, initially traditional or religious healers and then modern health facilities, was a significant finding. In order to ensure early case detection and prevent deformities, it is vital that education of community, patients and health workers is provided to an extent that health seeking behaviour is altered. Traditional and religious leaders must also be included in such training sessions.

BT - East African medical journal C1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7835256?dopt=Abstract CN - KUMARESAN1994 DA - 1994 Jun IS - 6 J2 - East Afr Med J LA - eng N2 -

The knowledge and attitude of health workers in north-western Botswana towards leprosy was determined by interviewing ninety nine health workers from various health institutions. Knowledge on causation of leprosy was generally lacking. Although majority of respondents knew that the disease is curable, less than half knew the correct duration of treatment. The attitude of service providers was influenced by poor knowledge, and more than a third claimed that patients should be isolated. The pattern of health seeking behaviour, initially traditional or religious healers and then modern health facilities, was a significant finding. In order to ensure early case detection and prevent deformities, it is vital that education of community, patients and health workers is provided to an extent that health seeking behaviour is altered. Traditional and religious leaders must also be included in such training sessions.

PY - 1994 SP - 366 EP - 7 T2 - East African medical journal TI - Knowledge and attitude of health workers towards leprosy in north-western Botswana. VL - 71 SN - 0012-835X ER -