A sociological study of leprosy cases in the Gandhi Kusth Ashram, Jodhpur (Rajasthan)

A Sociological study was carried out in respondents of a Lepers Colony (Gandhi Kusth Ashram), Jodhpur. An attempt was made to study the knowledge about causation of Leprosy, age at onset, and treatment. The reason for leaving their original place of origin (South India) was enquired. A majority (95.2%) of patients were Hindus, had onset of leprosy in the age group of below 20 years to 30 years (80.94%) had a literacy rate of 6.3% only. A history of contact with a case of leprosy could be traced in 38% but within the family only in 11.9%. The infection as a cause of leprosy was recognised only by 3.57% patients but a majority had no idea about aetiology (70.24%) or thought it to be due to punishment for past sins (3.57%) or due to supernatural causation (1.19%). Most of them (70.2%) left home for fear of losing family prestige and to hide the disease (25.00%) or hatred of other family members (4.76%).