Limitation of activity and restriction of social participation in relation to age range, gender, and education in people with leprosy

Abstract Background: In Brazil, 38,000 new cases of leprosy are discovered each year, making it a public health problem. Objective: To identify whether or not there is an association between activity limitations and the restriction of social participation with some demographic data (age range, gender, and education) of the patients in a Basic Health Unit (BHU), diagnosed with leprosy. Methods: The SALSA scale was used to assess activity limitations, whereas the Participation scale was used to assess the restriction of social participation. Results: The assessments were conducted with 31 BHU patients diagnosed with leprosy. Males were the most affected by leprosy, the multibacillary was the most prevalent, and education proved to be an important factor when related to the disease injuries among the evaluated individuals. Regarding activity limitations and the restriction of social participation, the percentage of individuals without limitations and without restrictions was greater in both scales. Study limitations: The main limitation is the small study sample. Conclusion: It can be concluded that, for the studied sample, no association was observed between the activity limitations, evaluated by the Salsa scale, nor the restriction of social participation, evaluated by the Participation Scale, with the analyzed demographic data.

Perfil dos pacientes acometidos pela hanseníase atendidos no Ambulatório de Dermatologia do Hospital Evangélico de Curitiba / Profile of patients affected by Hansen's disease seen at the Outpatient Clinic of Dermatology at Hospital Evangélico de Curitiba

FUNDAMENTOS: A hanseníase é uma enfermidade infecto-contagiosa, com distribuição mundial. Apesar de curável, permanece como um problema de saúde pública, sendo o Brasil o segundo país mais endêmico do mundo. As lesões cutâneas e o acometimento neural, que levam às principais incapacidades físicas, pioram a autoestima dos doentes, levam a uma queda da qualidade de vida e interferem na vida dos mesmos. OBJETIVO: Traçar um perfil dos pacientes acometidos pela hanseníase, atendidos no Ambulatório de Dermatologia do Hospital Evangélico de Curitiba, e caracterizar os níveis de qualidade de vida da amostra na semana prévia à pesquisa, por meio do questionário Dermatology Life Quality Index. MÉTODO: Aplicação do Dermatology Life Quality Index em 22 pacientes diagnosticados com hanseníase no período de maio a outubro de 2009. RESULTADOS: Em meio aos 22 pacientes que participaram do estudo, encontraram-se 55 por cento do sexo masculino e 45 por cento do sexo feminino, com idade média de 50,2 anos. Os escores obtidos na aplicação do Dermatology Life Quality Index variaram de 1 a 25 pontos, sendo a média 10,23. A maioria dos pacientes (50 por cento) apresentou escore na dimensão do grave ou muito grave; 31,8 por cento dos pacientes, do leve ao moderado, e 18,2 por cento dos pacientes informaram que não houve comprometimento da qualidade de vida. CONCLUSÃO: O perfil de pacientes acometidos pela hanseníase encontrado neste estudo foram homens, com idade média de 50 anos e com forma multibacilar. A aplicação do Dermatology Life Quality Index permitiu verificar que o escore de comprometimento de qualidade de vida grave ou muito grave foi predominante na amostra, tendo mais impacto nas mulheres e não apresentando diferença em relação à hanseníase pauci ou multibacilar.

BACKGROUND: Leprosy or Hansen's disease is a chronic infectious disease with worldwide distribution. Although it is a curable disease, it remains as a public health problem, with Brazil being the second most endemic country in the world. The skin lesions and neural damage, which lead to physical disabilities, affect the patients' self-esteem, cause a decrease in quality of life and interfere in the patients' lives. OBJECTIVE: Identify the profile of the patients affected by leprosy seen at the Outpatient Clinic of Dermatology of Hospital Evangélico de Curitiba and characterize the levels of quality of life of the sample in the week prior to the survey by means of the Dermatology Life Quality Index questionnaire. METHOD: Application of the Dermatology Life Quality Index to 22 patients diagnosed with leprosy in the period from May to October 2009. RESULTS: Among the 22 patients who participated in the study, 55 percent were male and 45 percent were female, with a mean age of 50.2 years. The scores obtained with the Dermatology Life Quality Index ranged from 1 to 25 points, with a mean of 10.23. Most of the patients (50 percent) had scores in the range severe or very severe; 31.8 percent of the patients obtained scores in the range mild or moderate, and 18.2 percent of the patients reported that there was no impairment of their quality of life. CONCLUSION: The profile of the patients affected by leprosy in this study were men, with a mean age of 50 years and presen ting the multibacillary form of the disease. The application of the Dermatology Life Quality Index questionnaire allowed us to verify that the score severe or very severe for quality of life was predominant in the sample, with higher impact on women and no significant difference concerning pauci or multibacillary leprosy.