Functioning and Disability in Leprosy

Area of Science:

• Medical Research
• Rehabilitation Science
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Leprosy often leads to physical impairments and disabilities.
• Musculoskeletal symptoms are common but their impact on functional capacity in leprosy patients requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the frequency of musculoskeletal symptoms in leprosy patients.
• To correlate these symptoms with functional capacity for daily living and work activities.
• To assess the relationship between musculoskeletal symptoms, functional capacity, and the degree of physical disability.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 100 leprosy patients.
• Data collection through questionnaires: personal/clinical data, Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (QNSO), and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire.
• Analysis of correlations between symptoms, functional capacity, and disability levels.

Main Results:

• 95% of respondents had physical impairments; 92% reported arm pain/paresthesia affecting function.
• Musculoskeletal symptoms were significantly associated with difficulties in daily living and working activities (p<0.05).
• Physical disabilities were not significantly associated with difficulties in daily living (p=0.29) or work activities (p=0.87).

Conclusions:

• Arm pain and paresthesia are key factors limiting functional capacity in leprosy patients.
• While musculoskeletal symptoms significantly impact daily life and work, established physical disabilities may not be the primary barrier to these activities.