Effect of Rehabilitation on the Prevalence of Psychiatric Morbidity among Leprosy Patients

A hundred patients with leprosy were studied; forty six patients were rehabilitated and staying in an ashram while the remaining fifty four were not rehabilitated and staying in slum areas. A11 the patients were administered Goldberg's General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and those who scored more than 12 on the GHQ were administered Indian Psychiatric Interview Schedule (IPIS). The diagnosis of psychiatric illness was made according to ICD-9. Psychiatric morbidity was present in 76% of patients, with a statistically significant difference between the non rehabilitated group (85%) and rehabilitated groups (68%). It was noted that even rehabilitated patients expressed very high psychiatric symptomatology. Neurotic depression was present in about 67% of non rehabilitated and 41% of rehabilitated patients. Anxiety neurosis was reported in approximately 18% of non rehabilitated and 24% of rehabilitated patients. No other psychiatric illness was found.