Knowledge and attitudes on leprosy of healthcare workers in a tertiary government hospital in the Philippines

Background/Objectives

The drivers of stigma may vary from one society or country to another; thus, it is necessary to identify these drivers so that stigma elimination programs would be locally relevant. This study aimed to determine the current knowledge and attitudes on leprosy of healthcare workers in a tertiary government hospital in the Philippines which will serve as the basis for our future leprosy awareness campaigns.

Methods

We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study among 265 healthcare workers in Rizal Medical Center (RMC), Philippines from January to March 2020 using a self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the demographics and study variables.

Results

A majority had high (36.2%) or medium (35.5%) knowledge on leprosy. A majority (62.3%) had positive attitudes towards leprosy. However, only 18.5% knew that leprosy is transmitted through inhalation and a majority thought that it is transmitted either through body fluids and secretions (52.8%) or open wounds (27.5%). Only about half knew that a patient on treatment can no longer transmit the disease and does not need to be isolated, and that a patient who has completed treatment but still exhibits manifestations of the disease can no longer transmit the disease.

Conclusion

Although a majority had either high or medium knowledge on leprosy and a positive attitude towards leprosy, we identified misconceptions and knowledge gaps centered on its mode of transmission and transmissibility which can lead to inappropriate fear of acquiring the disease from patients.