SOCIAL PARTICIPATION OF DIABETES AND EX-LEPROSY PATIENTS IN THE NETHERLANDS AND PATIENT PREFERENCE FOR COMBINED SELF-CARE GROUPS

Introduction: Earlier we showed that neuropathic complications limit social participation of ex-leprosy patients, even in a non-endemic leprosy setting like the Netherlands. Self-care groups for ex-leprosy patients can strengthen self-worth of participants, prevent further handicap, and enable the exchange of coping strategies. For non-endemic leprosy settings with a very low rate of leprosy patients a self-care group exclusively for (ex)leprosy patients is not likely to be feasible. A combined group with patients facing comparable morbidity would be more efficient than disease specific self-c... Mehr ...