Patterns of health-seeking behaviour amongst leprosy patients in former Shoa Province, Ethiopia

Abstract

This case-control study sought to determine factors influencing the early reporting of leprosy patients to modern treatment units. The Cases were 31 patients presenting with WHO disability grade 2 while controls were 48 patients presenting with grade 0. More than three- quarters (77%) of the cases waited for longer than 1 year before going to a leprosy clinic, whereas only 60% of the controls had waited over one year. On finding their first symptom, 68% of the cases and 23% of the controls went to a traditional healer. Ex-leprosy patients were found to be important advisors for early treatment. Compared with patients who sought traditional treatment, those whose initial contact was with the general health services had better outcomes. Worsening of symptoms was the final motivation for many of the patients to move from the traditional healer to the leprosy clinic. There were no significant differences between cases and controls with regard to sex, occupation, education or ethnic group. The study showed the need for intensive health education using different strategies to improve voluntary self-reporting of early cases of leprosy.


(Ethiopian Journal of Health Development: 2000, 14(1): 43-48)