Health education and leprosy

Abstract

In the context of effective health education in leprosy, various theories from the behavioural sciences are reviewed. In a project carried out near Vellore in South India over a period of 1 1/2 years, the three main stages included information, motivation and action. The objectives were to make the patients come for early and regular treatment, to make the public willing to employ patients and not to avoid harmless contact with them, and to make patients take proper care of their hands and feet. The techniques employed are described and the results analysed - indicating a considerable improvement in knowledge, attitude and reported practice.