01877nas a2200289   4500000000100000008004100001260001200042653001000054653001700064653001700081653001400098653001200112653002100124653001100145653002300156653001300179653001200192653001100204100001200215700001100227245012100238856008000359300001200439490000700451050001600458520111300474       2003                            d  c2003///10aUlcer10aTuberculosis10aSelf Concept10aSelf care10aleprosy10aHealth Promotion10aHealth10aEvaluation studies10aEthiopia10aDisease10aAfrica1 aAbera M1 aLema G00aThe role of support groups in raising the self-concept of people affectd by leprosy: an evaluation study in Ethiopia  uhttp://english.aifo.it/disability/apdrj/apdrj103/supportgroups-ethiopia.pdf  a55 - 620 v14  aABERA 2003A3 a<p>A pre-tesed structured interview was administered to a sample of twentyfour pairs of leprosy affected self-care group members and matched subjects around Shashemene, to evaluate any perceived changes regarding themselves, and their disease resulting from membership of the self-care leprosy control programme, undertaken by All Africa Leprosy, Tuberculosis an Rehabilitaion Training Centre (ALERT). Besides this, a case study and observation reports were used, to complement the quantitative information from an interview questionnaire. The 24 self-care members perceived themselves and their ulcer problem more modestly than their counterparts not in the programme. The difference between the mean 'self-concept sum scores' was significant (t=10.19, P&lt;0.005 df=46, and x=30.083, P&lt;0.001 respectively). Case and observation reports qualified this finding, indicating that the health promotion activity undertaken by the self-care programme has raised the clients' sense of worth and self-esteem. Further recommendations have been given for conducting studies of a similar nature in the future.</p>