02470nas a2200361   4500000000100000008004100001260003400042653001300076653001400089653002300103653001400126653002000140653001100160100002000171700001300191700001000204700001300214700001200227700001600239700001300255700001100268700001200279700001500291700001400306700001400320700001300334700001300347245011300360856010400473300000900577520149700586022002502083       2024                            d  bOxford University Press (OUP)10aAttitude10aCommunity10aHansen’s disease10aKnowledge10aRisk perception10aStigma1 aMurphy-Okpala N1 aDahiru T1 aEze C1 aNwafor C1 aEkeke N1 aAbdullahi S1 aIyama FS1 aMeka A1 aNjoku M1 aEzeakile O1 aUkwaja KN1 aAnyaike C1 aSesere O1 aChukwu J00aInvestigation of community knowledge, attitudes and stigma towards leprosy in Nigeria: a mixed-methods study  uhttps://academic.oup.com/trstmh/advance-article-pdf/doi/10.1093/trstmh/trae050/58795626/trae050.pdf  a1-133 a<p><strong>Background: </strong>Little is known about community knowledge and stigma towards leprosy in endemic settings. The aim of this study was to evaluate community knowledge, attitudes and stigma towards leprosy in Nigeria.</p>

<p><strong>Methods:</strong> This was a mixed-methods study consisting of a quantitative cross-sectional survey of community members and qualitative focus group discussions with community members and people affected by leprosy as well as key informant interviews with healthcare workers and community leaders.</p>

<p><strong>Results:</strong> Of the 811 survey participants, 401 (49.4%) had a poor knowledge of leprosy that was driven by cultural beliefs, fear of its contagiousness and poor knowledge of its means of transmission. The participants reported high stigma levels with a mean score of 18.96±7.73 on the Explanatory Model Interview Catalogue Community Stigma Scale and 9.39±7.03 on the Social Distance Scale. Stigma levels were influenced by age, residence, education and knowledge of leprosy. Qualitative data suggested that community members were scared of leprosy infectiousness, and local illness concepts and misconceptions informed attitudes and behaviour towards leprosy in the community.</p>

<p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> Community members have a poor knowledge of, and high stigma levels towards leprosy. Culture-specific health education and behavioural change interventions are needed to address the identified gaps.</p>
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