Assessment of needs and quality care issues of women with leprosy.

Objectives: Leprosy causes not just physical but psychosocial and economic problems which are further magnified in women due to gender disadvantages especially in developing countries. In order to determine the needs and quality care issues of women leprosy patients attending a hospital/health care facility, a research project was done.

Design: All women leprosy patients attending a Leprosy Referral Hospital in Kolkata, India during 2006 were interviewed in depth and clinically assessed, using a standardised proforma.