02021nas a2200217   4500000000100000008004100001653001800042653001100060653001200071653002600083653001800109653001800127100002300145700001800168700001600186700001300202245010700215856008000322520138700402022001401789       2016                            d10aEastern Nepal10aGender10aleprosy10aMarital relationships10aMarried women10aSexual health1 avan 't Noordende A1 avan Brakel WH1 aBanstola NL1 aDhakal K00aThe impact of leprosy on marital relationships and sexual health among married women in Eastern Nepal.  uhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4800099/pdf/JTM2016-4230235.pdf3 a<p>Background. Leprosy is one of the most stigmatized diseases known today. The stigma surrounding leprosy can be a major burden and affects many dimensions of a person's life, including intimate relationships. We aimed to investigate the experiences of women affected by leprosy regarding marital life and sexuality, comparing these to the experiences of women with other physical disabilities and to those of able-bodied women in South-East Nepal. Methods. This study used a qualitative approach and a cross-sectional, nonrandom survey design. Thirty women underwent in-depth interviews about their marital and sexual relationship by means of a semi-structured interview guide. These thirty women included ten women affected by leprosy, ten women with other physical disabilities, and ten able-bodied women living in South-East Nepal. Results. We found that many women faced violence and abuse in their marriages. However, women affected by leprosy appeared to face more problems with regard to their marital and sexual relationships than women with physical disabilities and able-bodied women. Some of these related to the fear of leprosy. Conclusions. Further research is recommended to investigate the extent of this problem and ways to ameliorate the situation of the affected women. Education and counselling at diagnosis may help prevent many of the problems reported.</p>
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