Factors associated with the development of physical disabilities in Hansen's disease

• Published in: Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo Vol. 60; pp. e27 - 7
• Main Authors: Santana, Emanuelle Malzac Freire de, Brito, Karen Krystine Gonçalves de, Antas, Ester Missias Vilaverde, Nogueira, Jordana de Almeida, Leadebal, Oriana Deyze Correia Paiva, Silva, Mirian Alves da, Costa, Marta Miriam Lopes, Soares, Maria Júlia Guimarães Oliveira
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Instituto de Medicina Tropical de Sao Paulo 01-01-2018; Instituto de Medicina Tropical; Universidade de São Paulo (USP)
• Subjects: Adult; Disability Evaluation; Disabled Persons; Educational Status; Female; Hansen’s disease; Humans; Leprosy - complications; Male; Middle Aged; Original; Prevention and control; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Secondary care; Severity of Illness Index; TROPICAL MEDICINE; Secondary care; Prevention and control; Hansen’s disease; Risk factors
• ISSN: 1678-9946; 0036-4665; 1678-9946
• DOI: 10.1590/s1678-9946201860027

Hansen's disease is probably the human disease that causes more damage. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the occurrence of the association of grade 1 and 2 physical disabilities in Hansen's disease, as well as implications of joint analysis and strength of association with independent demographic and clinical variables. This is a quantitative, descriptive, retrospective, population-based and documentary study developed from 2009 to 2014 in a Hansen's disease reference center in Joao Pessoa, PB. It involved 414 medical records, the diagnosis and discharge data on socio-demographic, clinical and simplified neurological evaluation variables. Data were analyzed using descriptive (absolute frequency and percentage) and inferential (Chi-Square and Prevalence Ratio (PR) statistics techniques. Both in the diagnosis and discharge, low education level, multibacillary classification and presence of affected nerves were statistically associated to the development of disabilities (p <0.05). The gender showed association only at discharge (p <0.05). Male gender, low education level, multibacillary classification and presence of affected nerves were identified as factors associated with the development of disabilities, and the individuals were more likely to develop disabilities at discharge. There is a need for development of surveillance actions for the population group identified for the detection and early treatment of the disease. Higher chances of developing disabilities in the discharge period makes the promotion of guidelines that standardize the care of these individuals imperative.