Espacio Abierto

Delay in the diagnosis of leprosy may be due to the attitude of the patient and to failure in diagnosis by physicians who work at primary care centers. This study purports to establish knowledge levels of leprosy in non-dermatologist specialty centers in Maracaibo, Venezuela. With the assistance of leprosy specialists 37 resident physicians completed questionnaires and the information processed with the SPSS package employing percentage analysis and then the construction of indices to each knowledge area of the disease (etiology, signs and symptoms, contagion). Knowledge levels were compared with experience, training and location of the medical school. The Chi-Square test was applied and the rate of association (C) determined. Results showed a limited knowledge about leprosy in non-dermatologist specialists. This would explain the failure to hypothesize the disease in diagnosis and the consequent delay which has been seen to occur through previous studies