The stigma of leprosy is a real phenomenon in many people’s lives that affects their physical, psychological, social and economic well-being. The objective of the study is to investigate the stigma in leprosy from patient’s perspective. Further this study help to determine how stigmatization affect the social life of patients with leprosy, how stigmatization affect the psychological aspect of patient’s life and identify the coping mechanisms employed by patients to manage the stigma. This study was conducted in the central leprosy clinic in National Hospital in Sri Lanka. The data were collected from hundred and thirty two leprosy patients who are being treated in central leprosy clinic. The quantitative approach and descriptive design were used for the study. The tool was researcher administered questionnaire with close ended questions. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistical analysis with Microsoft excel. The results clearly indicated that majority of patients have high level of self-stigmatization in both psychological (60.4%) and social (76.7%) aspects. Therefore, stigma reduction activities should focus on health education and counseling programs while giving multi drug therapy.
BT - Scientific Research Journal IS - 9 LA - eng N2 -The stigma of leprosy is a real phenomenon in many people’s lives that affects their physical, psychological, social and economic well-being. The objective of the study is to investigate the stigma in leprosy from patient’s perspective. Further this study help to determine how stigmatization affect the social life of patients with leprosy, how stigmatization affect the psychological aspect of patient’s life and identify the coping mechanisms employed by patients to manage the stigma. This study was conducted in the central leprosy clinic in National Hospital in Sri Lanka. The data were collected from hundred and thirty two leprosy patients who are being treated in central leprosy clinic. The quantitative approach and descriptive design were used for the study. The tool was researcher administered questionnaire with close ended questions. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistical analysis with Microsoft excel. The results clearly indicated that majority of patients have high level of self-stigmatization in both psychological (60.4%) and social (76.7%) aspects. Therefore, stigma reduction activities should focus on health education and counseling programs while giving multi drug therapy.
PY - 2017 SP - 10 EP - 13 ST - SCIRJ T2 - Scientific Research Journal TI - Stigmatization in Leprosy: A descriptive study from patients’ perspective in Sri Lanka. UR - http://www.scirj.org/papers-0917/scirj-P0917428.pdf VL - 5 ER -