Socio-demographic profiles of people living with leprosy-related disabilities in Kongo-Central, Democratic Republic of Congo

Abstract

Context and objective.  Leprosy is a major problem in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), ranked 5th in the world and 1st in Africa for leprosy endemic. The objective of this study was to describe the socio-demographic profiles of people affected by leprosy-related disabilities in Kongo-Central, focusing on age, gender, socio-economic status, access to care and stigma. Methods. We conducted a retrospective study in Kongo-Central province, using data from 2010 to 2020. The population included persons registered in the monitoring registers, with specific inclusion and non-inclusion criteria. Variables of interest included socio-demographic profiles and forms of leprosy. Results.  Of 748 patients, 23% had degree 2 disabilities. An annual decrease in leprosy and infirmity was observed. A slight male predominance (57.87%) was noted with an average age of 50 ± 18.82 years and an age range between 50 and 75 years. Women were more likely to have a paucibacillary form (19.25%). The spatial distribution of disabilities showed more affected areas, highlighting the impact of poverty, isolation and ignorance. Conclusion. The study highlights significant disparities and underlines the need for continuous measures to prevent and effectively treat this persistent disease.

Received: December 14^th, 2023

Accepted: October 10^th, 2024

https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/aamed.v18i1.10