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. 2023 Dec 20;15(15 Suppl 3):iii7-iii9.
doi: 10.1093/inthealth/ihad050.

Steps towards eliminating Hansen's disease stigma

Patrícia Deps  1 , Lucas Delboni  1 , Thauyra I A Oliveira  1 , Simon M Collin  2 , Maria A Andrade  1 , Ethel L N Maciel  3
Affiliations

Steps towards eliminating Hansen's disease stigma

Patrícia Deps et al. Int Health. .

Abstract
in English, French, Spanish

Persons affected by Hansen's disease (PAHD) can develop long-term physical disabilities and psychological problems if the disease is not managed promptly and correctly. The complex and multi-faceted nature of stigma related to Hansen's Disease, and the discrimination arising from it, demands multiple parallel steps to improve the health, well-being and lived experience of People Affected by Hansen's Disease, including: 1) adoption and pursuance of a human rights based approach; 2) revocation of discriminatory laws; 3) education and training for healthcare workers; 4) new techniques and therapies to diagnose and treat HD without side-effects and to reduce risk of disabilities; 5) elimination of stigmatising terminology.

Les personnes touchées par la maladie de Hansen peuvent développer des handicaps physiques et des problèmes psychologiques à long terme si la maladie n'est pas prise en charge rapidement et correctement. La complexité de la stigmatisation liée à la maladie de Hansen, et la discrimination qui en découle, exigent de multiples mesures parallèles pour améliorer la santé et le bien-être des personnes atteintes de cette maladie, entre autre: 1) la mise en place d'une approche fondée sur les droits de l'homme ; 2) la révocation des lois discriminantes; 3) la sensibilisation et la formation du personnel de santé ; 4) de nouvelles techniques et thérapies pour diagnostiquer et traiter la maladie de Hansen sans effets secondaires, et qui aideront aussi à réduire le risque d'invalidité lié à la maladie ; 5) l'élimination de tout lexique stigmatisant.

Las personas afectadas por la enfermedad de Hansen (PAHD) pueden desarrollar discapacidades físicas y problemas psicológicos a largo plazo si la enfermedad no se trata rápida y correctamente. La naturaleza compleja y polifacética del estigma relacionado con la enfermedad de Hansen, y la discriminación derivada del mismo, exige múltiples pasos paralelos para mejorar la salud, el bienestar y la experiencia vivida de las personas afectadas por la enfermedad de Hansen, entre los que se incluyen: 1) adopción y aplicación de un enfoque basado en los derechos humanos; 2) revocación de las leyes discriminatorias; 3) educación y formación del personal sanitario; 4) nuevas técnicas y terapias para diagnosticar y tratar la EH sin efectos secundarios y para reducir el riesgo de discapacidades; 5) eliminación de la terminología estigmatizante.

Keywords: Hansen's disease; leprosy; stigma.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

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