A Study of Psychological Correlates in Leprosy Patients of Agra and Kanpur District

Among several factors of depression chronic illness or fatal disease is one, especially when it results in physical deformity or early death and of which leprosy refers to the former. Ignorance about the disease and social value about the disease can at once land a person in depression on utterance of the diagnosis. A psychological study was carried out on 300 leprosy patients with an aim to study depression and Anxiety in them. The sample comprised of male and female leprosy patients aged between 18 to 60 years, selected from Government O.P.D's from Agra and Kanpur district by using purposive sample technique. Depression was measured with the help of "Depression Scale" by S.E. Krug and J.E. Laughlin and Anxiety was measured IPAT Anxiety scale by Samuel E. Krug and R.B. Cattle. The data was statistically analyzed using Chi-square test and t-test. of these, 33% of the male and 46% of the female leprosy patients were suffering from depression and 20.66% of the male leprosy patients and 16.00% of the female leprosy patients were suffering from depression with anxiety (mixed disorder).The results revealed that female leprosy patients had significantly more depression than male leprosy patients. The study suggested that there is need of regular psychological counseling and follow up of leprosy patients in the existing health care facilities.