Analysis of the quality of life in patients with disabilities caused of hansen’s disease

• Autor(a) principal: Sousa, Nathalia Parente de
• Data de Publicação: 2011
• Outros Autores: Silva, Maria Imaculada de Barros, Lobo, Camila Gurgel, Barboza, Michelli Caroline de Camargo, Abdon, Ana Paula de Vasconcellos
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Hansenologia Internationalis (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.saude.sp.gov.br/hansenologia/article/view/35107
• topic: qualidade de vida; hanseníase; deformidades; quality of life; leprosy; deformities

Leprosy is an infectious disease, caused by Mycobacterium leprae bacteria which affects mainly the skin and nerves. It is considered in Brazil as a public health problem. It causes deformities and disabilities, which may cause changes in the quality of life. The objective was to examine the overall quality of life of people with leprosy. This was a cross-sectional study in 58 patients under treatment at the Reference Center Dona Libânia, regardless of sex and over 18 years old. 02 questionnaires were applied: Quality of Life SF-36 and another approaching the epidemiological aspects, and socioeconomic characteristics of the disease. The results showed that half were male (n = 54). The average age was 39.2 ± 12.57, with a higher prevalence among 26 to 45 years (n = 44). Of those interviewed, 51 finished elementary school and 91 had the family income of 1 to 3minimum wages. About the quality of life, the domains that showed low values were physical aspect limitation, pain and emotional aspect when compared to the others (p <0.05). When the average of the domains, were classified functional capacity, social aspect and mental health were classified as “very good”. However, physical aspect limitation, pain, general state of health, vitality and emotional aspect profiles were obtained “good”. It can be concluded that leprosy can interfere in the quality of life of the patients, as a condition that causes functional disabilities, resulting in reduction of labor activity and restriction of social life. Key-words: quality of life; leprosy; deformities.