Health care utilisation in Indian leprosy patients in the era of elimination.

OBJECTIVE: The health care utilisation pattern among Indian leprosy patients accessing a tertiary care centre over an 18 month period was studied.

DESIGN: A study was conducted at the Dermatology Outpatient Clinic at the Christian Medical College, Vellore, from January 2005 to June 2006. The profile of patients was assessed and a subgroup was interviewed on their healthcare use, including any delays and costs incurred.

RESULTS: 198 patients presented of which 115 patients (58.1%) were on treatment for leprosy or a leprosy reaction (active) including 35 new patients (17.7%), and 83 (41.9%) patients were not on active treatment (inactive). 81 patients were interviewed in depth, 14 (17.3%) were new patients included among 54 (66.7%) patients with active disease, and 27 (33.3%) with inactive disease. The average delay from the onset of symptoms to starting treatment in those interviewed was 13.4 months, 7.9 months of which was a patient-related delay and 5.4 months of which was the health care system-related delay. In patients who had been released from treatment, 78.6% (22/28) required care after cure.

CONCLUSIONS: Improved awareness is required to reduce patient-related delays and systems for sustained training need to be in place to tackle the problem of health care system-related delays. Care after cure is a felt need for many patients released from treatment.