Perfil dos pacientes com hanseníase em área hiperendêmica da Amazônia do Maranhão, Brasil

Abstract

An epidemiological cross-sectional study of 207 patients with leprosy disease, was undertaken between August 1998 to november 2000, aiming at evaluating the socioeconomic, demographic and ambiental profiles of the patients as well as physical incapacity due to the disease. The study was performed in the municipality of Buriticupu-Maranh o state, a hiperendemic leprosy area in the Amazonian Maranh o. The level of incapacity was assessed from parameters established by the Brazilian Health Minister. The clinical evaluation and the results of the physical tests were registered in a standardized form. It was observed a predominance of married people (45,9%), with low level of education (56%), being lend workers (40,1%), with familiar income to the minimum wage (76,3%), aged from 14 to 44 years (63,3%), males (60,9%) and brown (67,6%); 44% living in mud huts, 82,6% deposited their excrements in cesspits and 63,8% do not treat the drinking water, 58% utilized well-water and 51,7% do not use treated water for ingestion. The most affected segments of the body were the feet (62,3%), eyes (51,2%) end hands (7,2%), being the higher percentage of physical incapacitaties found among the patients bearing the borderline form of the disease (93%) mainly hands and feet, and in the virchowian form greatest frequency of eyes incapacities. It is concluded that the hyperendemicity associated with the precarious socioeconomic conditions and with a high level of physical incapacities may be involved with the living quality of the patients.

Neural complications and physical disabilities in leprosy in a capital of northeastern Brazil with high endemicity

“…Possibly, this disagreement of the present study with Aquino et al 17 happened because this study was conducted in the state capital (São Luís, MA), where access to health services and actions is better. Moreover, the data observed in the state municipalities, where access to health services are scarce, show that there is a difficulty in early diagnosis and appropriate treatment, which are the best strategies to prevent disease progression.…”

“…Regarding marital status, most of the patients had a partner, similar to that reported by Aquino et al 17 , when studying leprosy patients in Buriticupu/Amazon of Maranhão.…”

“…With regard to family income, the highest percentage of the population studied had a family income between 1 and 2 minimum wages, unlike the findings of Aquino et al 17 , where most of the population had a household income of less than one minimum wage. This increase in minimum wages may be due to the increase in income in Brazil, resulting from the implementation of public policies in Brazil that are favoring a higher socioeconomic status for the underprivileged population.…”

“…Oliveira et al 31 , in their cohort study, showed that about 20.0% of the patients had physical disabilities during or after treatment. Contrary to these findings, the study by Aquino et al 17 pointed to worrying results: high rates of disability grade 1 or 2. In both studies, the higher frequency of disability was mainly on the feet.…”

“…A similar result was observed in the study by Oliveira et al 16 , in a municipality in the Midwest region of Paraná. The greater affection of people in their economically productive years have social and economic importance, since leprosy has a high disabling potential, interfering in the work and social life of the patient, causing economic loss and psychological trauma 17 . In relation to patients under 15 years of age, there was a rate of 12.2% of affection by the disease in this age group, results superior to those recommended by the Ministry of Health, suggesting that the infection is recent and active in the studied municipality 4 .…”