Quality of life of people with hansen's disease assisted in a reference hospital, Paraíba-Brazil

Abstract

Objective: Evaluate the degree of impairment of the quality of life of people with Hansen's disease, according to social demographic and clinical variables Method: Descriptive, transversal, quantitative study, involving 45 patients from a reference hospital located in João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil. For obtaining data, interviews were performed based on a semi-structured questionnaire, including social demographic and clinic variables of the participants; to evaluate their life quality the instrument Dermatology Life Quality Index, was used, after approval in the Committee of Ethics in Research of the Federal University of Paraíba. In the data analysis, the non-parametric Test of the Chi-square of Pearson was used with level of significance of 5% (p < 0,05), being used the Yates correction continuity, when necessary. Results: It is highlighted a prevalence of male, brown, single, aged 18 to 40 individuals, with family income lower than three minimum salaries and low schooling. From this total, 88,9% presented the clinical multibacillary form of the Hansen's disease and 60% of them, with level of impairment of quality of life varying between moderate and very serious, according to scores of the instrument used. Conclusion: It is reassured the important impact of the Hansen's disease in the quality of life of their carriers, as indicated by the high scores obtained in the application of the DLQI.