Perceptions of Leprosy and its Attributes among Health Care Workers in Karachi, Pakistan

Saleema A. Gulzar*, Jacoline Sommer**, Muhammad Shahid Shamim***, Yasmin Nadeem Parpio****, Karamali N.N*****
** Senior Instructor, Shifa International College of Nursing, Islamabad, Pakistan.
*** Associate Professor, In-charge Medical Education Cell, Dow University of Health Sciences Karachi, Pakistan.
**** Senior Instructor, School of Nursing and Midwifery & Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan University Karachi, Pakistan.
***** Student, University of Nottingham, School of Health Sciences UK.
Periodicity:August - October'2013
DOI : https://doi.org/10.26634/jnur.3.3.2492

Abstract

Leprosy is one of the socially stigmatized diseases known today which affects the social status of an individual as much as the physical, eventually impacting one's status in society. Nerve destruction leads to weakness in the hand and feet resulting in deformity. According to World Health Organization (WHO, 2013) official reports depicted that the global registered prevalence of leprosy at the beginning of 2012 stood at 181,941 cases from 105 countries. A quantitative, analytical cross-sectional design was considered to compare the knowledge and perceptions about Leprosy among Health Care Providers (HCPs) who were directly and indirectly involved in taking care of Leprosy patients. Stratified random sampling was employed to recruit 65 HCPs from NGOs, government and private hospitals. The Result has shown significant difference between two groups directly and indirectly involved in Leprosy care patients. The HCPs directly involved in providing care and possess sound knowledge about Leprosy were 98% and hence involved in providing holistic care including psychological aspects. Whereas, 40% health care providers who were not involved in direct care were not equipped with updated information and thus having fear about contracting disease resulting in ineffective care provision. It is concluded from the findings of the study that there is a strong association between knowledge about Leprosy and its perception. The in-depth knowledge and positive perception about Leprosy will help patients to receive quality care from HCPs and this will eventually reduce the stigmatization effect in society.

Keywords

Leprosy, Health Care Providers (HCP), Stigmatization, Developing Countries, Perception, Knowledge

How to Cite this Article?

Gulzar, S.A., Sommer, J., Shamim, M.S., Parpio, Y., Karamali, N.N. (2013). Perceptions of Leprosy and its Attributes among Health Care Workers in Karachi, Pakistan. i-manager’s Journal on Nursing, 3(3), 24-29. https://doi.org/10.26634/jnur.3.3.2492

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