Perceived Stigma and Social Distance towards People Suffering from Leprosy: A Cross-sectional Study in Dibrugarh District of Assam, India

Introduction: Leprosy presents as painless, hypopigmented, anaesthetic lesions on the body, which, when left untreated, progress to cause destructive and irreversible damage to the skin, nerves, eyes, and other body parts. The disease is often diagnosed late in its natural progression as it remains undetected as innocuous lesions. Additionally, the stigma and social distancing associated with leprosy further challenge its early diagnosis and control efforts. Aims: To assess the perceived stigma and social distance towards people suffering from leprosy. Materials and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among leprosy patients who were already undergoing Multi-Drug Therapy as well as new cases detected in the Leprosy Case Detection Camps (LCDC) in various locations of Dibrugarh district, Assam, India. A total of 42 leprosy patients were interviewed for the study over a six-month period from September 2024 to February 2025 to assess their fear of discrimination or perceived stigma. Additionally, 14 close contacts of the leprosy patients who accompanied them were also interviewed to assess their attitudes regarding maintaining social distance towards the leprosy patients. Analysis was performed and presented as frequencies, percentages, and proportions. Appropriate statistical tests, such as Chi-Square and Fisher’s exact test, were conducted. Results: Out of the 42 patients interviewed, the majority were male (32, 76.2%), with most patients belonging to the age group of 21-30 years (12, 28.6%). The majority of the patients were Multibacillary (MB) (23, 54.8%) and 19 (45.2%) were Paucibacillary (PB). Out of 42, 10 (23.8%) respondents reported experiencing stigma related to leprosy. Eight out of 14 respondents had a mean score for the Social Distance Scale (SDS) indicating an unwillingness to maintain closeness or social interactions with leprosy patients. Conclusion: Intense active case finding needs to be conducted through grassroots-level frontline workers, and more cases should be detected at an early stage before the onset of deformity. Awareness campaigns, education, and improved healthcare access can reduce the stigma and social taboos associated with leprosy.