Family support to leprosy patients with low self-esteem

Background: The stigma in community about leprosy caused the community isolates leprosy patients so that they lost their self-esteem.This made leprosy patients feel useless, and in the end they would feel themselves worthless and inferior. The research objective was to describe the family support and self-esteem to leprosy patients at Leprosy Hospital Kediri.

Method: The research design was descriptive with pop ulation of 92 respondents using purposive sampling techniques. The research variables were the family support and self-esteem of leprosy patients. Data were collected using questionnaire instrument and then analyzed using descriptive analysis with predicti on of central tendency.

Result: The results showed that family support to leprosy patients in emotional support and appreciation indicator was good (68.5%), facility support was good (45.7%) and was sufficient (29.3%), information/knowledge support was (71.7%). Self-esteem to leprosy patients with self-esteem indicator was low (60.9%) and self-acceptance was low (50%). The result of cross-tabulation of goodfamily support to leprosy patients with self-esteem tended to be low (63.3%).

Conclussion: In conclusion, the family had provided support in the treatment of leprosy patients with low self-esteem. Family support should make leprosy patients to become independent so that their self-esteem increased.