During the 14 years from June 1965 to May 1979, this survey was performed on
1,084(male 755, female 329) leprosy patients at the Chronic Disease Laboratory in
Catholic Medical College. The treatment defaulters(patients receiving less than 1½ years
of treatment) and treatment non-defaulters(patients receiving 1½ years or more regular
treatment) have been compared on the basis of the following data:
1. age and sex
2. present address, marital status, education and occupation
3. onset age, type of leprosy, bacteriological examination
1. The rate of treatment defaulters was 47.5%(515 patients) among the 1,084 patients.
According to the duration of treatment, the treatment defaulters increased and the
treatment non-defaulters decreased.
2. Between treatment defaulters and treatment non-defaulters there was no
significance according to age and sex.
3. Among patients living close to treatment center, carried patients and educated
patients were significantly higher in the treatment non-defaulters than treatment
defaulters(p<0.005). Among students, military and guards, farmers and forestry workers
the treatment defaulters were significantly greater than treatment
non-defaulters(p<0.005).
4. Onset age is related to regularity of treatment. More patients in the 20 to 49 years
of age group are regular treatment receivers. More patients in the 0 to 19 years and 50
years over age group are irregular treatment receivers(p<0.005).
5. More of the infectious cases are receive regular treatment, particularly those
belonging to the B-group and L-type. Most of the I-group and T-type cases are
receive irregular treatment, defaulters(p<0.005). Many negative cases in bacteriological
examination were significantly higher than positive cases in treatment
defaulters(p<0.005).
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