1/6. Dehabilitation of leprosy-affected people--a study on leprosy-affected beggars.leprosy is one of the most socially stigmatized diseases known today. social stigma is associated mainly due to the prevalent myths like its hereditary and contagious nature, divine curse along with the physical deformities caused. The affected people not only face physical impairments but also suffer psychosocial repercussions due to the community's attitude. The long-term physical and psychosocial restrictions slowly push the leprosy-affected person out of the society. With lack of social support and self-confidence, some dehabilitated leprosy-affected persons end up as beggars. The present study focuses on the long-term consequences of leprosy. It is based on case studies of leprosy-affected beggars in Delhi. The process of dehabilitation in each case has been studied. It has been found that dehabilitation is a continuous process. The combination of leprosy, physical impairments and social stigma causing further participation restriction, lead to dehabilitation of people affected by leprosy, and ending in a state of beggary for some. There is a need to develop a holistic approach including both prevention of dehabilitation and rehabilitation of those dehabilitated to overcome both the disease and its consequences. Measures to prevent such dehabilitation in future along with the rehabilitation of leprosy-affected beggars have been suggested. Both these measures should take place simultaneously.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = nature (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/6. Cervical perineurial cyst, a red herring (case report).Leprous mononeuropathy may present without demonstrable maculoanesthetical patches. A case is described in whom wasting of the right hand was initially attributed to C8 T1 entrapment radiculopathy caused by cervical perineurial cysts. On the basis of the benign nature of the perineurial cysts and questionable right ulnar nerve thickening, the patient was given a trial of anti-leprosy drugs. A follow-up clinico-electrophysiological evaluation favored the diagnosis of leprotic ulnar mononeuropathy.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = nature (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/6. "Sporotrichoid nerve abscess".Unusual presentation of a BT leprosy patient with multiple nerve abscess and an approach to diagnosis and management of the problem have been described. The article will refamiliarize the reader with unusual nature of presentation, diagnosis and management of nerve abscess associated with leprosy.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = nature (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/6. leprosy in teenage immigrants. case reports and clinical review.Two cases of newly diagnosed leprosy (Hansen's disease) are presented to remind physicians of the nature of this disorder and its increasing prevalence due to migration to the united states from endemic areas. In both cases, leprosy was not initially considered by the American physicians. Important clinical clues to diagnosis are reviewed.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = nature (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/6. Relapse of mycobacterium leprae infection with ocular manifestations.A case of ocular leprosy as the manifestation of persistent or relapsed mycobacterium leprae infection approximately 20 years following treatment is reported. The clinical and pathological features of this case are described, and the molecular methods needed to arrive at the definitive diagnosis are examined. If blindness is to be averted, clinicians must have a high index of suspicion for the diagnosis of ocular leprosy when anterior segment changes are noted during ophthalmologic examination of a patient from an area in which M. leprae is endemic. The indolent nature of ocular leprosy may require lifelong surveillance and therapy to insure sight preservation.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = nature (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/6. Problems and coping strategies of families having patients with and without deformities.Deformity in leprosy is a major problem causing serious socio-economic and psychological consequences to the patients and their families, as well as for the programmers. This paper examines the nature and extent of social and economic problems of leprosy-affected families having patients with and without deformities and their strategy to cope with those problems. The data were collected from 500 sampled families in two monotherapy districts in Tamilnadu in 1989-1990. About 20% of the families reported facing socioeconomic problems. The proportion of families having patients with deformities facing problems was ten times higher (57.3%) than those having patients with no deformities (5.7%). Majority of the problems of the affected families were economic. The major strategy adopted to deal with economic problems was to adjust within the earnings of other family members to make up the loss or reduction in income from the patient. The major social problem faced was denial of participation in the community. While families with deformed patients adopted "acceptance of their existing situation," families with non-deformed patients adopted "avoidance" as their coping strategy. Appropriate rehabilitation programmes to restore economic security to the patients and their families is called for. There is also the need to educate the community about the disease in order to dispel the myths and fears associated with leprosy.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = nature (Clic here for more details about this article) |