Revised estimates of leprosy disability weights for assessing the global burden of disease: a systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis

ABSTRACT

Leprosy is a chronic, disabling disease that causes various kinds of disability in the affected person. This includes physical impairment, activity limitation, and participation restriction. However, the published global burden of disease estimates for leprosy is considered to be a gross under-estimation. Disability weights form an integral component in the calculation of the burden estimates. But the methodology for calculation of the weights focuses only on physical impairment and lacks the perspective of the patient. In this study, we systematically reviewed the literature and performed an individual patient data meta analysis for revising the disability weights for leprosy using domain scores from health related quality of life instruments. The domains of these instruments cover all aspects of disability from a patient's perspective. We found that the revised weights were considerably higher than the current weights, and were more reflective of the actual disability caused by leprosy. We also found that for individuals without any severe disability due to leprosy (grade 0), they still experience comparable suffering. Revision of the current disability weights and inclusion of the disability caused in grade 0 individuals will contribute towards better estimation of the global burden of leprosy.