Shambhu Joshi Poster 2025

Dr Shambhu Joshi

Mahabaudha Medical Center, Nepal

Quality of Life in Patients Affected by Rare Neglected Tropical Dermatological Diseases: Post Covid-19 Era

Poster Abstract

Background: Leprosy, cutaneous-leishmaniasis and lymphatic-filariasis are among the rare and often neglected tropical dermatological diseases that continue to constitute major public-health burdens in Nepal.

Methods: It was a cross-sectional study conducted in one year. For this, 120 patients detected which were included in the study. For assessing QoL, Dermatology Life Quality Index(DLQI)and WHOQOL-BREF questionnaires were used. Data on sociodemographic attributes, access to healthcare, medical-history, and stigma were collected through structured interviews.

Results: Socio-demographic characteristics: The mean age of the participants was 41.5±14.7 years. The male-to-female ratio was 1.2:1. The majority, about 72%, belonged to so-called marginalized ethnic groups. The majority, 84%, had a monthly household-income below USD180.
QoL Scores: The mean DLQI score was 12.3±4.8, indicating a rather moderate to severe impact on QoL. The commonly faced difficulties were physical discomfort at 71%, social embarrassment at 68%, and financial-burden at 62%.
Healthcare Access: Only 48% of the patients had access to specialized dermatological care within 50 km of residence. Financial constraints and lack of awareness were the primary barriers, at 77% and 65%,respectively.
Cultural Stigma: More than 60% of the participants reported stigma. Women were mainly rejected for marriage proposals and excluded socially.
Statistical Analysis: Multivariate regression analysis showed that stigma(β=0.53,p<0.001) and healthcare access(β=-0.47,p<0.001) were significant predictors of QoL scores.

Conclusion: NTD can cause particularly disabling diseases in Nepal due to socioeconomic inequities, mental stress and cultural-stigma which can further potentiate their effect on QoL. Mechanisms to address these include: accessible and affordable dermatological care; community-based education for stigma reduction; and socio-economic support programs, integrate with National Health insurance.

Biography

Dr. Shambhu Joshi is the board certified Clinician. His area of interest in Neglected tropical diseases and public health research in developing country.