Profile of functionality of persons affected by leprosy

• Main Authors: Stephanie Steremberg Pires D’Azevedo, Danielle Christine Moura dos Santos, Gustavo Aires de Arruda, Jaqueline Caracas Barbosa, Maria Geórgia Torres Alves, Niedja Madelon Nascimento Souza
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Federal do Ceará 2021-07-01
• Series: Rev Rene
• Subjects: leprosy; self care; international classification of functioning; disability and health; disabled persons; disability evaluation.
• Online Access: http://periodicos.ufc.br/rene/article/view/61702

Objective: to analyze the functioning and disability profile of persons affected by leprosy. Methods: a quantitative study, carried out with 43 people in six reference units with support groups for self-care in leprosy. A sociodemographic and clinical questionnaire and the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule instrument were used. The analyses used descriptive statistics, the chi-square test of adjustment adequacy for categorical variables, binomial and Mann-Whitney. Results: the median (interquartile range) in the Participation, Mobility, Cognition and Life Activities domains were 37.5 (20.8-54.2), 25.0 (6.3-56.3), 20.0 (0.0-40.0) and 10.0 (0.0-40.0), respectively, representing the impact of the disease in these domains. Conclusion: the functionality scores were higher in the Participation and Mobility domains, reflecting physical disabilities, discrimination and stigma in the lives of people affected by leprosy.