Adherence to treatment of leprosy in patients with leprosy reactional episodes in a reference unit

Abstract

In this study, it was evaluated the interference of socio-demographic and clinical factors in the adherence to treatment in patients with leprosy reaction in a dermatology unit of reference in the Metropolitan Region of Belém, Pará State, Brazil, during the period from 2005 to 2010. It was a cross-sectional descriptive study in a sample of 214 individuals in treatment of leprosy reaction. The results showed a predominance of adult males with low education, higher incidence of dimorphous leprosy and multibacillary treatment. The predominant reaction was the reverse reaction. The higher percentage of patients was from one to three reactional episodes with neuritis. The connection between socio-demographic factors and that adherence pointed male sex with three times more likely to not accept the treatment (p < 0.0110).