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Some factors affecting psychological distress of leprosy patients: A case study in Thailand
Abstract
This study concerns psychological aspects of leprosy. The purpose is to examine the relationships of self-esteem, health locus of control, quality of life, and family support to the psychological distress of leprosy patients, and to determine if the pattern of those relationships is different from matched healthy persons and nonleprosy out-patients. Data were collected in Mea-Tha District, in Lam Pang Province, Thailand. Research subjects include leprosy patients, nonleprosy patients, and healthy persons. Leprosy patients were selected from the Colony and from the Village. Even though the leprosy-patients subjects were selected from different environments, their demographic and psychological characteristics were not significantly different. Nonleprosy out-patients were selected from two Community Hospitals, and healthy persons were selected from a sub-district in Mea Tha district. An Interview Questionnaire was used in this study. One part consisted of items about demographics; the other consists of items concerning psychological aspects which include self-esteem, health locus of control, quality of life, and family support. Findings indicated that self-esteem, internal health locus of control, quality of life, and family support were inversely related to psychological distress of leprosy patients. Compared with its matched groups, leprosy patients had lower self-esteem, lower internal health locus of control, lower quality of life, less family support, but more psychological distress than had nonleprosy out-patients and healthy persons. Self-esteem and quality of life were significant predictors of psychological distress. Self-esteem was the best predictor for the psychological distress of leprosy patients and nonleprosy out-patients, whereas quality of life was the best predictor for the psychological distress of healthy persons.
Subject Area
Social psychology|Personality|Public health
Recommended Citation
Kanjanawong, Suree, "Some factors affecting psychological distress of leprosy patients: A case study in Thailand" (1991). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI9211474.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI9211474