Authors
Kavita Kavita, Sukhdeep Singh, Kittu Malhi, Manisha Upreti, Sushma Saini, Arushi Ghai, Ritin Mohindra, Tarun Narang, Sunil Dogra
Published in
Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Aug 27, 2026. Epub Aug 27, 2026.
Abstract
Leprosy continues to impose a significant clinical and socioeconomic burden. Despite free multidrug therapy, patients incur substantial out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE), leading to catastrophic health expenditure (CHE). Evidence on the economic burden of leprosy in India remains limited.
A pilot prospective observational study was conducted at a tertiary care center in North India, enrolling 56 patients with leprosy. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, direct and indirect healthcare costs, and income were collected.
The study population had a median age of 30 years, with 73% males, and 68% from rural areas. Multibacillary disease predominated (93%), with complications in 73.2% and a median diagnostic delay of 24 months. Median monthly household income was Indian Rupees (₹)12 000, while median OOPE was ₹1625, largely driven by medicines and travel. CHE was observed in 55.4% of patients. OOPE was significantly higher in multibacillary cases compared with paucibacillary disease (P = .04). A considerable proportion of patients resorted to borrowing money, indicating financial distress.
Leprosy imposes a substantial financial burden, with more than one-half of patients experiencing CHE. Strengthening early diagnosis, decentralizing care, and improving financial protection mechanisms are essential to mitigate economic hardship.
PMID:
42657451
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 27 Aug 2026.
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