Lepradan Etki̇lenen Ki̇şi̇leri̇n Sosyo-Ekonomi̇k Ve Engelli̇li̇k Durumlarinin Değerlendi̇ri̇lmesi̇

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the disability, social and economic status among the people, who were affected by leprosy and living in Van. Materials and Method: This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study. 102 people affected by leprosy in Van participated in the study between June 24, 2013 and December 24, 2013. The questionnaire compiled from literature and Wagner's Disability Rating Scale were used to assess socioeconomic status and disability status of the participants, respectively. Findings: The mean age of the participants was 62,02 ± 12,35 years. 86,4% of the women (n = 19) and 63,8% of the men (n = 51) were illiterate. The houses, which 19,6% (n = 20) of them lived were assessed to be in poor conditions. 81,4% (n = 83) were unemployed. The median monthly household incomes were 300 TL for men and 230 TL for women. The monthly income of 75,6% (n = 65) was below the minimum wage. 61,3% (n = 49) of the men and 59,1% (n = 13) of the women were receiving help from the government. The most common type of the disease was Lepromatous leprosy. The number of patients with a second-degree disability was higher among both genders. The degree of disability increased with age. As the education level increased, the degree of disability decreased. As the degree of disability increased, the number of stigma experiences, the amount of monthly income, the number of employees decreased and the number of persons receiving government support increased. Discussion and Conclusion: It should be kept in mind that leprosy may cause disability, deformity, psychological disorders, economic dependence and social exclusion if it is not diagnosed early. Every physician should know the symptoms of leprosy. The needs of people who cannot work due to their disabilities should be identified and their living conditions should be improved.