What parents should know while their child is on MDT: insights from a qualitative study in eastern India

Area of Science:

• Pediatric infectious diseases
• Public health
• Qualitative research methodology

Background:

• Leprosy significantly impacts children, necessitating high-quality care.
• Parental engagement is vital for effective pediatric leprosy services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore parents' experiences with leprosy diagnosis and treatment in children.
• To identify challenges in treatment adherence and completion for pediatric leprosy patients.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving interviews with 20 parents of children undergoing leprosy treatment.
• Conducted in West Bengal, India, as part of routine field activity monitoring.

Main Results:

• The most common initial symptom was a white patch, with a median 6-month delay in care-seeking.
• Black skin discolouration was a frequent side-effect, leading to non-adherence and school absenteeism.
• Parents lacked knowledge of leprosy reactions, highlighting a gap in understanding disease complications.

Conclusions:

• Early case detection strategies are effective, but treatment completion remains a challenge.
• Interpersonal communication is key to empowering parents to manage side-effects and complications.
• Active parental partnership is essential for children receiving multidrug therapy (MDT) for leprosy.