Functioning and disability in leprosy

ABSTRACT

This study has been carried out to investigate the frequency of musculoskeletal symptoms in people affected by leprosy and correlate this to their functional capacity to perform daily living and working activities and to their degree of disability. This cross-sectional study was performed on 100 clients who answered a questionnaire on personal and clinical data, the Nordic Musculoskeletal (QNSO), and the shoulder, arm and hand dysfunction (DASH) questionnaires. The mean age was 53.63 years and there was a predominance of men (67%), low education (53%), and multibacillary disease (84%). Physical impairment affected 95% of respondents and 92% indicated pain and/or paresthesia in the arms that interfered in functional capacity.Respondents with musculoskeletal symptoms have more difficulty to perform daily living and working activities compared to those without musculoskeletal symptoms (p-value<0.05). The presence of physical disabilities was not associated with difficulties to perform daily living (p-value=0.29) and labor activities (p-value=0.87). The majority of patients experienced pain and/or paresthesia of the arms, and this was associated with difficulties to perform daily living and working activities. However, the presence of physical disability does not seem to cause major impediments or limitations to perform these activities.