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Individual and community factors determining delayed leprosy case detection: A systematic review
- Source :
- PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Vol 15, Iss 8, p e0009651 (2021)
- Publication Year :
- 2021
- Publisher :
- Public Library of Science (PLoS), 2021.
-
Abstract
- Background The number of new leprosy cases is declining globally, but the disability caused by leprosy remains an important disease burden. The chance of disability is increased by delayed case detection. This review focusses on the individual and community determinants of delayed leprosy case detection. Methods This study was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis). The study protocol is registered in PROSPERO (code: CRD42020189274). To identify determinants of delayed detection, data was collected from five electronic databases: Embase.com, Medline All Ovid, Web of Science, Cochrane CENTRAL, and the WHO Global Health Library. Results We included 27 papers from 4315 records assessed. They originated in twelve countries, had been published between January 1, 2000, and January 31, 2021, and described the factors related to delayed leprosy case detection, the duration of the delayed case, and the percentage of Grade 2 Disability (G2D). The median delay in detection ranged from 12 to 36 months, the mean delay ranged from 11.5 to 64.1 months, and the percentage of G2D ranged from 5.6 to 43.2%. Health-service-seeking behavior was the most common factor associated with delayed detection. The most common individual factors were older age, being male, having a lower disease-symptom perception, having multibacillary leprosy, and lack of knowledge. The most common socioeconomic factors were living in a rural area, performing agricultural labor, and being unemployed. Stigma was the most common social and community factor. Conclusions Delayed leprosy case detection is clearly correlated with increased disability and should therefore be a priority of leprosy programs. Interventions should focus on determinants of delayed case detection such as health-service-seeking behavior, and should consider relevant individual, socioeconomic, and community factors, including stigmatization. Further study is required of the health service-related factors contributing to delay.<br />Author summary Leprosy remains an important public health problem with many new leprosy patients diagnosed with visible physical deformities, indicating a long delay in the detection of cases. For effective prevention programs, it is important to know the factors at the level of the individual and the community that contribute to the delay. We reviewed all published studies that reported individual and community factors related to delayed case detection in leprosy and included 27 studies in our analysis, published between January 1, 2000, and January 31, 2021. Health-service-seeking behavior was the most common factor associated with delay in case detection. The most common individual factors were older age, being male, having a lower disease-symptom perception, having multibacillary leprosy, and lack of knowledge about leprosy. The most common socioeconomic factors were living in a rural area, performing agricultural labor, and being unemployed. Stigma was the most common social and community factor associated with detection delay. The presence of physical disability in newly diagnosed leprosy patients is clearly related to the delay in detecting these patients. Leprosy control interventions should take factors related to detection delay into account more comprehensively. Also, there is a need to study health service-related factors that contribute to detection delay of leprosy patients.
- Subjects :
- Bacterial Diseases
Delayed Diagnosis
RC955-962
Social Stigma
Psychological intervention
Geographical Locations
Medical Conditions
Risk Factors
Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine
Medicine and Health Sciences
Global health
Public and Occupational Health
Qualitative Studies
Research Assessment
Socioeconomic Aspects of Health
Infectious Diseases
Systematic review
Health Education and Awareness
Research Design
Leprosy
Public aspects of medicine
RA1-1270
Behavioral and Social Aspects of Health
Research Article
Neglected Tropical Diseases
Asia
Systematic Reviews
Disabilities
MEDLINE
India
Research and Analysis Methods
Time-to-Treatment
SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
medicine
Humans
Disabled Persons
Socioeconomic status
Disease burden
business.industry
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Patient Acceptance of Health Care
Tropical Diseases
medicine.disease
Health Care
Socioeconomic Factors
People and Places
Rural area
business
Demography
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 19352735
- Volume :
- 15
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....2f7198448f1fc12e4b8655bbd354d15d