Prediction of leprosy patient’s quality of life from clinical characteristics

Abstract

Background: Leprosy is one of the chronic skin infection which shares long term impact. It might cause permanent disability, and treatment might take longer before the patient completely recovered. These possibilities highly affect the quality of life (QoL). Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in the outpatient department of leprosy, in Sitanala Hospital, Tangerang, Indonesia. A total of 102 patients' QoL were assessed by Indonesian version of WHOQOL-BREF and sociodemographic and clinical course data were collected from medical records. P-value smaller than 0.05 is appraised as statistically significant. Results: Low income was related to worse leprosy form (lepromatous leprosy type) and immune reaction (erythema nodosum leprosum). QoL scores could be predicted by form of leprosy, immune reaction, impairment grade, and duration of illness. Conclusions: QoL scores in patients with leprosy could be predicted by illness characteristics and duration of illness, whereas forms of leprosy predicted all domains of QoL.