CARACTERIZACIÓN PSICOLÓGICA DE PACIENTES CON LEPRORREACCIONES. CAMAGÜEY, CUBA

There are innumerable stories that the world and national literature presents regarding the treatment that,
throughout history, the patient with leprosy have been prescribed, in relation to its diagnosis, treatment
and rehabilitation, which, at the same time, has had an impact on his family and social group. A prospective
descriptive observational study was carried out with a population of 22 patients who attended the Provincial
Leprosy Consultation, with the purpose of characterizing these patients from the psychological point of view,
who underwent a comprehensive assessment of their disease and were evaluated psychologically. As a result, it
was discovered that in half of the patients the leprosy reaction occurred in the first semester after the disease was
diagnosed and leprous erythema nodosum occurred more frequently. Lifestyle impairment existed in more than
half of the cases with disturbed sleep-wake cycles and excessive substance abuse. In more than ninety percent
of the patients, manifestations of estrés and lack of social support were detected that perpetuated their feelings
of loneliness. The most frequent personality traits were of the obsessive and aggressive or explosive type. It was
concluded that leprosy reactions also originated a psychological reaction in the affected patient.