Prevalence and control of Hansen's disease: a research in an urban occupation area of São Luis, Maranhão state, Brazil

Objective: To study the prevalence of patients with disability owing to leprosy in three Primary Healthcare Centres (PHC) in São Luis, Maranhão state and to discuss possible ways of disease control. Methods: A retrospective descriptive study based on medical records of all leprosy patients (n=57) registered in these PHCs between 2008 and 2009. The following variables were analyzed: age, sex, aspect and clinical status (DPD - Degree of Physical Disability, operational classification and clinical form). Results: Fifty-seven medical records of patients with leprosy were found, and 24 of them contained some alteration in the DPD of patients. Among those who presented some degree of disability, eight patients (33.3%) were between 21 and 30 years old, 2 (8.3%) were under than 10 years of age, and 1 patient (4.1%) was over 60 years old. Regarding sex, 15 were men (62.5%) and 9 were women (37.5%). With respect to the operational classification of disease, 3 cases were paucibacillary and 21 were multibacillary. Of the 57 cases, 33 patients presented DPD 0; 17 patients showed DPD I; and 7 patients presented DPD II. The prevalence of physical disabilities in leprosy patients in this study was 42.1%, corresponding to 24 patients. Conclusion: The prevalence of 12.28% of DPD II patients suggests that treatment and rehabilitation measures are needed, with a more specific approach and focus on primary care services to prevent the worsening of this disease and allow the control of its disabilities.