[Absenteeism during treatment for leprosy. Analysis of causes as apparent from a survey in southern India]

The reasons for absenteeism during leprosy treatment were investigated in a rural area of southern India. 120 patients known as "absents" to most controls were first interviewed and the major causes for absenteeism thus determined. A questionnaire was then elaborated in view to reveal these principal causes with efficiency and was applied by 8 investigators to 1200 patients, mostly absents or irregular to medical visits. 620 were selected at random for computer analysis. Results suggest that anxiety for loss of income while attending the medical control and erroneous impression of cure as soon as skin lesions have improved could be of first importance. Nevertheless no relation appears between absenteeism and income level, number of persons depending on the patient, or type of leprosy. Adverse reactions attributed to DDS are also frequently reported, especially fever, because of confusion with leprosy reactions, malaria and any other febrile condition. Assiduity to medical visits could be determined during the year following this study in 1191 of the 1200 patients showing clear beneficial effect over this period.