@article{32591,
  keywords = {leprosy, Epidemiology descriptive, Elderly, Brazil, Epidemiology},
  author = {Silva DDB and Tavares CM and Gomes NMC and Cardoso AC and êncio RA and Nogueira P},
  title = {Leprosy in the elderly population of Alagoas},
  abstract = {<p><strong>Objective:</strong> to describe the epidemiological profile of elderly persons with leprosy in the state of Alagoas.</p>

<div>
<p><strong>Method:</strong> a descriptive epidemiological study of leprosy cases among the elderly reported to the Disease Notification Information System between 2005 and 2015 was carried out.</p>
</div>

<div>
<p><strong>Results:</strong> a total of 896 cases were identified, with a predominance of 60-69 years old (60.5%), who were male (50.4%), had no schooling (34.8%), no source of income (54.1%), multibacillary forms of the disease (67.9%), and a high proportion of grade I (30.3%) and II (11.8%) disability at diagnosis. Hyperendemicity was noted during the survey period, with a mean detection rate of 29.48 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.</p>
</div>

<div>
<p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> leprosy is a growing disease among the elderly and early detection should be encouraged in this population to prevent the impairment of active aging.</p>
</div>
},
  year = {2018},
  journal = {Revista brasileira de geriatria e gerontologia},
  volume = {21},
  pages = {553-561},
  issn = {1809-9823},
  url = {http://www.scielo.br/pdf/rbgg/v21n5/1809-9823-rbgg-21-05-00553.pdf},
  doi = {10.1590/1981-22562018021.180076},
  language = {eng},
}