Factors contributing to the decline of leprosy in Spain in the second half of the twentieth century.

Background: Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease that is considered to be declining, though it still remains prevalent in many parts of the world. A study was made to explore the health and socioeconomic factors that most influenced the trend of the disease in a typical Mediterranean country.

Materials And Methods: An ecological study was conducted, investigating possible social, economic and health factors related to the evolution of leprosy incidence.