Back to Search
Start Over
'If you will counsel properly with love, they will listen': A qualitative analysis of leprosy affected patients' educational needs and caregiver perceptions in Nepal
- Source :
- PLOS ONE, Vol. 14, No 2 (2019) P. e0210955, PLoS ONE, Vol 14, Iss 2, p e0210955 (2019), PLoS ONE
- Publication Year :
- 2019
-
Abstract
- Background Leprosy remains a disease of concern in many countries including Nepal. To achieve the target of elimination, the WHO strategy promotes comprehensive education of patients, healthcare workers (HCWs), and the public on leprosy-related issues. However most educational programs are based on the concerns of HCWs and not on patients’ needs. The objective of this paper is to explore the educational needs of leprosy affected patients in Nepal and compare them to the needs perceived by HCWs. Methodology/principal findings Semi directive interviews were conducted with patients and HCWs. The data was analyzed using the basic interpretative qualitative framework. The study was conducted in two leprosy referral centers, one university hospital and one primary health care center: Lalgadh Leprosy Hospital and Services Centre, Anandaban Hospital and its satellite clinic in Patan, B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Dharan, and the Itahari primary health care centre. The results show that there remains a lack of knowledge regarding the disease (origins, manifestations, prevention and treatment) contributing to late care seeking behavior and high levels of stigma, with an important psychological and financial stress for patients. All of the HCWs displayed a good understanding of patients’ difficulties and needs and acknowledged the key role of patient education. However, they expressed several challenges in managing patients due to lack of time, human resources and training in patient education. Conclusions/significance Further efforts need to be made to increase patients’ general knowledge of the disease in order to motivate them to seek healthcare earlier and change their perception of the disease to reduce stigma. HCWs need proper training in patient education and counseling for them to acquire the necessary skills required to address the different educational needs of their patients. The use of lay and peer counselors would be an option to address the workload and lack of time expressed by HCWs.
- Subjects :
- Counseling
Male
Bacterial Diseases
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Social stigma
Medical Doctors
Economics
Health Care Providers
health care facilities, manpower, and services
Social Stigma
Social Sciences
Geographical Locations
0302 clinical medicine
Health care
Medicine and Health Sciences
Public and Occupational Health
030212 general & internal medicine
Medical Personnel
Sanitation
Qualitative Research
Multidisciplinary
virus diseases
Workload
Professional-Patient Relations
Professions
Infectious Diseases
Caregivers
Health Education and Awareness
Medicine
Female
Psychology
Environmental Health
Research Article
Neglected Tropical Diseases
Adult
Asia
Referral
Adolescent
Patients
Science
030231 tropical medicine
education
Peer Group
03 medical and health sciences
Young Adult
Nursing
Nepal
Patient Education as Topic
Leprosy
Physicians
Humans
Human resources
ddc:613
business.industry
Peer group
Tropical Diseases
Love
Health Care
Health Care Facilities
People and Places
Population Groupings
business
Finance
Qualitative research
Patient education
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 19326203
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- PLOS ONE, Vol. 14, No 2 (2019) P. e0210955, PLoS ONE, Vol 14, Iss 2, p e0210955 (2019), PLoS ONE
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....a55e8ef6c55f3277390294e123a7ec8a