BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL STUDY IN LEPROSY PATIENTS : A SURVEY ON DISABILITY AND PREJUDICE

The prejudice against leprosy has ancient origin, which makes the stereotype of the disease involved injuries and discrimination. The process of becoming ill was transformed into processes mechanically controlled by protocols. The objective of this work is to demonstrate that the patient needs more attention and integrated access to information about the disease. The research took place at the University Hospital Julio Muller, a reference center for leprosy in the region and was held in January and August 2014. A questionnaire was applied to twenty patients, containing 25 questions related to the process of becoming ill and the changes that happened in work, psychological and family. For the research was used a color system: green: yes/lot; Yellow: maybe/bit; Red: no/nothing. To fit the research the patient had to already have the diagnosis. Of the respondents, 75% did not know what it was leprosy before having the disease, these 75% earned less than a minimum wage and all the illiterate respondents did not know what was the disease. Among the patients, 40% had some degree of rejection after diagnosis. 65% of respondents were in working age and only 20% were able to continue working. The results of this study allow us to affirm that knowledge about what the disease is not well spread in the population, particularly with low education. What contributes to the strong stigma of the disease. Apart from that it's needed to avoid the potentially incapacitating of that disease, making early diagnosis.