Psychiatric morbidity and pattern of dysfunctions in patients with leprosy

• Main Authors: Bhatia M, Chandra R, Bhattacharya S, Imran Mohammed
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2006-01-01
• Series: Indian Journal of Dermatology
• Subjects: <i>Leprosy; Psychiatric morbidity; Psychiatric dysfunction</i>
• Online Access: http://www.e-ijd.org/article.asp?issn=0019-5154;year=2006;volume=51;issue=1;spage=23;epage=25;aulast=Bhatia

<b>BACKGROUND: </b> Leprosy, being a chronic infectious disease with profound social stigma, remains associated with high psychological mortidity. <b> PURPOSES: </b> To find out the pattern of psychiatric morbidity in leprosy patients and the relationship of various factors with the morbidity. <b> METHODS: </b> Ninty patients attending leprosy clinic were randomly chosen for the study group alongwith 40 patients suffering from acute skin problem other than leprosy as control group. The socio-demographic data were recorded in semi-structural proforma; all patients were given Goldbery Health Questioneaire (GHQ). Patients having GHQ score> 2 was assessed by Disability Assessent Questionaire (DAQ). The psychiatric diagnoses was made according to ICD-10 by W ho0 and physical deformity by W ho 0 Disability Scale. <b> FINDINGS: </b> The mean GHQ score of the study grant was 3.44 and that of control group was 1.62. The mean DAQ score was 45.13. Psychiatric disorder was seen in 44.4&#x0025; and 7.5&#x0025; of study group and control group respectively. The psychiatric illness was generalised anoxidy disorder (GAD) (27.8&#x0025;). <b> CONCLUSIONS: </b> Leprosis highly associated with psychiatric mobidity. <b> LIMITATIONS: </b> The findings can not be generalised due to small sample size and clinic-based data.