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The Lived Experience of Patients with Leprosy at Kagando Hospital, Uganda

Received: 31 October 2016     Accepted: 12 December 2016     Published: 23 February 2017
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Abstract

Though the world health assembly passed a resolution to “eliminate leprosy as a public health problem” by 2000, the disease is still common in many countries worldwide. Leprosy deforms and disables but seldom kills so that those who have been crippled live on getting steadily worse. Thus, the researcher was prompted to explore the lived experiences of patients with leprosy. A descriptive phenomenological qualitative approach was used for this study, to explore lived experience of patients with leprosy. In-depth audio taped interviews were conducted with six participants, data was analyzed using Colaizzi’s framework and Watson’s Human caring theory directed the study. The process of analysis identified five central themes: Living with physical disability, living with social dilemmas, living with economic hardships, relative social acceptance, and living in harmony with self and God. Notably, physical disabilities push patients with leprosy to the extreme of poverty. Failure to meet the basic human needs increase their susceptibility to chronic ulcers and an enduring hospitalization. Ability to meet the basic necessities of life was seen to increase social acceptance and respect from community members who are not affected by leprosy. Thus, economic rehabilitation is the most preferred solution to overcome the agony faced by patients with leprosy.

Published in World Journal of Public Health (Volume 2, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.wjph.20170202.12
Page(s) 67-74
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2017. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Experience, Patients, Leprosy, Uganda

References
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  • APA Style

    Baluku M. Raphael, Samuel Nambile Cumber, Vallence Niyonzima, Jackson Jr Nforbewing Ndenkeh, Rosaline Yumumkah Kanjo-Cumber. (2017). The Lived Experience of Patients with Leprosy at Kagando Hospital, Uganda. World Journal of Public Health, 2(2), 67-74. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjph.20170202.12

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    ACS Style

    Baluku M. Raphael; Samuel Nambile Cumber; Vallence Niyonzima; Jackson Jr Nforbewing Ndenkeh; Rosaline Yumumkah Kanjo-Cumber. The Lived Experience of Patients with Leprosy at Kagando Hospital, Uganda. World J. Public Health 2017, 2(2), 67-74. doi: 10.11648/j.wjph.20170202.12

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    AMA Style

    Baluku M. Raphael, Samuel Nambile Cumber, Vallence Niyonzima, Jackson Jr Nforbewing Ndenkeh, Rosaline Yumumkah Kanjo-Cumber. The Lived Experience of Patients with Leprosy at Kagando Hospital, Uganda. World J Public Health. 2017;2(2):67-74. doi: 10.11648/j.wjph.20170202.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.wjph.20170202.12,
      author = {Baluku M. Raphael and Samuel Nambile Cumber and Vallence Niyonzima and Jackson Jr Nforbewing Ndenkeh and Rosaline Yumumkah Kanjo-Cumber},
      title = {The Lived Experience of Patients with Leprosy at Kagando Hospital, Uganda},
      journal = {World Journal of Public Health},
      volume = {2},
      number = {2},
      pages = {67-74},
      doi = {10.11648/j.wjph.20170202.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjph.20170202.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.wjph.20170202.12},
      abstract = {Though the world health assembly passed a resolution to “eliminate leprosy as a public health problem” by 2000, the disease is still common in many countries worldwide. Leprosy deforms and disables but seldom kills so that those who have been crippled live on getting steadily worse. Thus, the researcher was prompted to explore the lived experiences of patients with leprosy. A descriptive phenomenological qualitative approach was used for this study, to explore lived experience of patients with leprosy. In-depth audio taped interviews were conducted with six participants, data was analyzed using Colaizzi’s framework and Watson’s Human caring theory directed the study. The process of analysis identified five central themes: Living with physical disability, living with social dilemmas, living with economic hardships, relative social acceptance, and living in harmony with self and God. Notably, physical disabilities push patients with leprosy to the extreme of poverty. Failure to meet the basic human needs increase their susceptibility to chronic ulcers and an enduring hospitalization. Ability to meet the basic necessities of life was seen to increase social acceptance and respect from community members who are not affected by leprosy. Thus, economic rehabilitation is the most preferred solution to overcome the agony faced by patients with leprosy.},
     year = {2017}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - The Lived Experience of Patients with Leprosy at Kagando Hospital, Uganda
    AU  - Baluku M. Raphael
    AU  - Samuel Nambile Cumber
    AU  - Vallence Niyonzima
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    T2  - World Journal of Public Health
    JF  - World Journal of Public Health
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    AB  - Though the world health assembly passed a resolution to “eliminate leprosy as a public health problem” by 2000, the disease is still common in many countries worldwide. Leprosy deforms and disables but seldom kills so that those who have been crippled live on getting steadily worse. Thus, the researcher was prompted to explore the lived experiences of patients with leprosy. A descriptive phenomenological qualitative approach was used for this study, to explore lived experience of patients with leprosy. In-depth audio taped interviews were conducted with six participants, data was analyzed using Colaizzi’s framework and Watson’s Human caring theory directed the study. The process of analysis identified five central themes: Living with physical disability, living with social dilemmas, living with economic hardships, relative social acceptance, and living in harmony with self and God. Notably, physical disabilities push patients with leprosy to the extreme of poverty. Failure to meet the basic human needs increase their susceptibility to chronic ulcers and an enduring hospitalization. Ability to meet the basic necessities of life was seen to increase social acceptance and respect from community members who are not affected by leprosy. Thus, economic rehabilitation is the most preferred solution to overcome the agony faced by patients with leprosy.
    VL  - 2
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Author Information
  • Under Privileged Children and Women Assistance (UPCAWA-SWEDEN), Gothenburg, Sweden

  • Under Privileged Children and Women Assistance (UPCAWA-SWEDEN), Gothenburg, Sweden

  • Under Privileged Children and Women Assistance (UPCAWA-SWEDEN), Gothenburg, Sweden

  • Under Privileged Children and Women Assistance (UPCAWA-SWEDEN), Gothenburg, Sweden

  • Under Privileged Children and Women Assistance (UPCAWA-SWEDEN), Gothenburg, Sweden

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