This study is ort investigation of the epidemiolgical trends observed in ambulatory by
age, sex, age at onset, place of birth, present address, type of illness, duration of illness
between onset and treatment, nasal obstruction or epistaxi s, bacteriological examination,
family and neighbourhood relationships involving the same illness, and source of referral.
The study was conducted on 388 (219 ma1es, 169 females) out-patients who visited the
Chronic Disease Laboratory from January 1975 to December 1984. The Patients were
divided into two groups (Group A 1975-1979, Group B 1980-1984). The significance of
our findings are related to the importance of leprosy control in the urban area and the
near urban rural areas.
The following results are obtained
1. The average monthly registered number of new patients is 3.7 in Group A and 2.8
in the Group B. The ratio of male to female in the Group A is 1.7 to 1 and 1.9 to 1 in
the Group B.
By age groups, the highest is 20-29 years for the men comprising 51.7% and 40-49
years for the women comprising 56.6%. In the Group A of patients, a significantly
higher number of patient were 39 years and in the Group B of Patients, the patients of
over 39 years of age is on the increase.
2. The age at onset of the illness was the same for both groups. The age bracket
showing the highest number was from 15-19 years the percentage being 18.3% in Group
A and 21.3% in Group B. Therefore in the age bracket of 15-29 years the percentage
was 52.3%. A comparative study of the period from the onset of the illness to the
beginning of treatment showed that patient s of less than 35 years comprised 45.7% of
Group A and 47.3% of Group B. Those of more than 10 years were 30.1% of Group A
and 19.5% of the Group B, however, no significant difference was observed.
3. In the classification regarding place of birth, both the Group A and B showed the
highest number from the southern Provinces Cyongsang, Jolla Do, with 65.3% from the
Group A and 63.9% from the Group D. Following this was Chungchong Do, then Seoul,
Kyonggi, Kangwon Do with 22.8%, 20.7%, 9.6% and 11.8% respectively. There was not
much difference between the two groups. Our study regarding the present address of
patients revealed that there were many living ill the near vicinity of the City of Seoul.
Group A showed 63.9% and Group B showed 57.4%. Regarding the classification by
type of illness, 7-type showed the highest number with 48.2%, follow and this was
L-type 36.6%, B-group 13.7% I-group 1.5%. A comparative study of the ratio of T-type
and L-type was undertaken. In the group A was a 1.2 to 1 ratio, while in the Group B
there was a 1.5 to 1 ratio. In the near .vicinity of the City of Seoul tile Group A was
slightly decreased with a 1.1 to 1 of T-type to L-type ratio and the Group B had a
significantly higher ratio of 1.6 to 1.
4 Those patients complaining of nasal obstruction and epistaxis were 30.1% in the
Group A and 31.4% in the Group B. There seems to be no great significance in these
figures between the type of illness.
5 The bacteriological examination showed a 35.6% positive in the Group A and 42.0%
in the Group B. These figures are high because, there is as increase in the L-type and
B-group patients in the Group B.
6 In reference to the source of referral, hospitals, clinics and private doctors showed
the highest percentage of 59.0%. Among these, 91.7% came from the skin dispensaries.
Also, 18.1% were referrals from the immdiate family of the patients, their relatives and
neighbor.
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