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The present investigation attempts to study the personality characteristics of children suffering from leprosy. A group of eleven children was selected from the Central Jalma Institute for Leprosy and Kusht Seva Sadan at Tajganj, Agra. Indian adaptation of Leopold Bellak's Children's Apperception Test (CAT) was employed for collecting the data. The most salient features which were charted out are that they have a general craving for sociogenic needs like love and affection, security, affiliation, cooperation etc. Their anxiety level tends to be high due to certain conflicts. The obvious fact has been that leprosy appears as a somatic devastation in the presence of highly active psychogenic starvation of personality.

A preliminary study in which a sample of 25 patients registered with SLR and TC, Karigiri, with proved secondary DDS-resistant leprosy were compared, with 25 patients not suspected to be DDS-resistant, for social and personality factors, which could have lead to non-compliance in treatment. A structured interview schedule enquiring into factors leading to irregular treatment and the psycho-social background of the patient was used. The Eysank's Personality Inventory (EPI) and Personality traits assessment on a linear analogue was also administered to them. Statistical analysis showed that DDS-resistant leprosy patients were as a group more irregular for treatment, showed personality traits of being casual and uncontrolled and scored high on the neuroticism scale of the EPI.

The paper incorporates five studies (i.e., four of frustration and one of anxiety). The design is 'Multi-group-Control-group'. Each one of the five studies has four '3 X 3 X 2' factorial experiments. Each experiment has 360 elements. These are three groups (of lepromatous, non-lepromatous and of disease-free normals). Each group consists of 120 elements (equally distributed among adolescents, adults and senescents). The particulars of the patients have been obtained from the Central JALMA Institute for Leprosy and the Kushta Seva Sadan (Agra). The disease-free normal elements are drawn freely from the population of the Agra town. The sample possesses statistical justification for size and representativeness. Data are collected with the help of reliable tools and the 'F' test is run for verification of the 'null hypotheses'. Results show that experiences of 'fixation-regression' frustration, atypically belong to normal senescence. Resignation and anxiety experiences, as growing hazards, specifically relate to leprosy patients. Personality factors that normally demote 'frustration-anxiety' behaviour exhibit 'role-negation' in the leprosy patients. Age shows 'role-reversion'. Implications of such 'role' changes relate to the 'self-eroding' process of personality in the patients.

The study was conducted to find out the psychological reactions to leprosy, to correlate psychological symptomatology with duration of leprosy and to find out suicidal attempts among leprosy patients. 24 patients were randomly selected from "Kashi Kusth Swasth Shala and Punarvas Mandir". They were administered the Hindi adaptation of Middlesex Hospital Questionnaire. 14 patients verbalised suicidal ideas and 2 have had suicidal attempts. Psychological symptomatology was less reported by those whose duration of illness was longer and more symptoms were reported by those whose illness was of shorter duration. The various findings are discussed in length.

One hundred twenty institutionalized cases of leprosy were tested for anxiety and depression on standard scales before and after psychiatric treatment. The latter seems to be effective in reducing both anxiety and depression after a course of treatment of three months. This appears to be a sound justification to advocate mental health care in institutions of leprosy in conjunction with physical care. Leprosy is a chronic and disabling disease entity. With the social stigma associated to the disease the psychiatric hazards of the disease are as bad as its physical manifestations. However, usually, only the latter attract attention. Ignorance about the disease and social values about the disease can at once land a person in depression on utterance of the diagnosis. Further, anxiety about the outcome of the disease in particular and future in general are known to exist in sufferers of leprosy.

The present study is a longitudinal study and was undertaken from November 1977 to January 1979. The study included 344 cases of leprosy patients from different areas. The data was collected, tabulated and analysed which revealed the following salient features. 26.45% cases were having one, or more than one type of social stigma, 42.86% cases showed social stigma from their neighbours. 62.64% cases were having stigma for touch, 30.77% cases were in age group of 45--54 years. Males were more victims of social stigma, than females. The social stigma was more prevalent in illiterates and low socio-economic group patients. 69.03% cases were in need of social rehabilitation.

A study of the inmates of a leprosy colony in Mysore revealed that there were more male cases and that the deformities were also more common among the male patients. There was no cases among inmates below 20 years of age group 31-50 years. 93.2% of the inmates were illiterate and 96.6% of the patients were ignorant of the cause, spread, prognosis of the disease and prevention of disabilities. This indicated an urgent need of health education among the leprosy patients and their families. All the inmates, including the apparently healthy relatives reported loss of income due to disease and disabilities. Rehabilitation of the inmates by raising poultry, breeding sheep and sericulture activities must be encouraged.

The utilization of medical agencies and treatment compliance by 3880 leprosy patients registered with Govt. Leprosy Control Unit, Saidapet, Madras were studied. It was observed that 39% patients waited for 1.32 (+/- 1.75) years before medical consultation, for their negligence and unawareness of disease. About 16% and 4% patients consulted Gen. Hospitals and Private Practitioners, respectively. The leprosy clinics were most popular, 35% patients changed medical agencies. On an average, one patient had consulted 1.47 (+/- 0.51) medical agencies and 1.23 (+/- 0.52) leprosy clinics, for treatment of leprosy. Only 45% patient attended clinic regularly, others attended irregularly (22.5%) or discontinued (32.4%). The unsuitable clinic timing (morning) was an important factor for defaulting the clinics. Of the 2625 (67.66%) patients who attended last clinic, one patient had missed an average of 5.5 (+/- 8.3) DDS tablets in a month. The implications of findings and suggestions to improve the service utilization with good compliance by patients, are discussed in this communication.

225 adult leprosy patients were interviewed to study their socio-economic experiences, about various aspects of their lives. It was observed that 17.34%, 14.33% and 45.78% of patients experienced negative reactions from their families, spouses and society members, respectively. Out of 79 unmarried patients, 53 (67.1%) attributed leprosy as the only reason for not getting a partner for marriage. Out of 146 married patients, 34 (23.3%) were not living with their spouses; this also included 9 (6.2%) patients, deserted by their partners. Leprosy uprooted 44 (13.55%) patients from their residences, of whom 27 settled in leprosy village/settlement. The occupational status of 104 (46.22%) patients was adversely affected due to leprosy, of whom 43 became dependents and 17 beggars. Monthly income of 115 (51.1%) patients reduced to the extent of 84%, after getting leprosy. The social prejudice and deformities due to leprosy, have played key roles in socio-economic deterioration of patients. The leprosy control programme (LCP) need to be implemented more efficiently and effectively, with active involvement of communities. The socio-medical units, if included in LCP, may be utilized more effectively to prevent the socio-economic dehabilitation of patients, as well to tackle the abnormal psycholygical behaviours of patients.

225 adult leprosy patients attending the CLTRI, were interviewed to study their illness and medical agency utilization behaviours. Almost all patients perceived their disease as leprosy but 71.50% did not know how they got it. 10-11% did not reveal the disease to their family for fear of rejection. The time-lag between first suspicion and medical consultation was 1 year or more in 48% of cases. For treatment of leprosy, 36-38% of patients consulted Private Practitioners and General Hospitals, at one or the other time. 42.6% of patients changed 3 or more medical agencies for treatment. On an average patient had taken 62.39% of expected treatment. 41% of patients were not aware of the name of drug (DDS) they were taking. 44% of patients had tried home remedies. Most of the patients preferred to take treatment at leprosy referral hospitals.