SP5-35 Stigma among the leprosy patients of urban leprosy centres in Mysore: a field study

Aim To analyse stigma prevalence, KAP and mental state of the leprosy patients of urban population of Mysore.Setting and Design This study is a cross sectional study done among all the leprosy patients of urban leprosy centres of Mysore.Methods and Material All the patients who were clinically detected at U.L.C., K.R.Hospital and U.L.C., Nazarbad in Mysore were interviewed. Modified Kuppuswamy Scale was used to analyse the socio-economic status of the patients. Field work in the form of home visits were done to asses the socio economic status, living conditions and mental status of all the patients registered.Results 52% belonged to lower socio-economic status and stigma association with disease was seen to a higher extent. Deformities were major reason for Stigma association with the disease, in majority of cases. Striking ignorance about the disease could be noted with 42% unaware of name of the disease, 30% believing the cause to be curse/wrath/sin & a vast majority (80%) ignorant of the mode of spread. A majority of the patients (54%) showed signs of depressive mental states.Conclusions Although much has been done by intensive therapy to decrease prevalence of leprosy, stigma still continues to persist and there's a danger of it being over sighted. Need for intensive and uninterrupted (Information, Education, Communication—IEC) activities at all levels with active government and NGO participation. Detection of disease at earliest stage & MDT, thereby reducing deformities should be aggressively done.