Perceived Stigma Towards Person Affected by Leprosy Among Adult Living in Leprosy-endemic Areas in Keratong Sub-district, Pahang.

Introduction: Leprosy, though curable, remains stigmatized leading to social exclusion and delayed detection. This study is aimed identifying factors associated with perceived stigma towards leprosy-affected individuals among community in leprosy-endemic areas in Pahang. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 314 selected respondents living in leprosy-endemic areas in the identified area in Keratong, Pahang. The selected respondents through cluster sampling were interviewed. This study using validated questionnaire to assess their knowledge on leprosy and level of perceived stigma against leprosy. An ethical approval obtained from the UPM Ethics Committee. Results: Approximately 73.6% of respondents exhibited stigma against leprosy. Most respondents were aged 18 to 45 years (64.6%), and majority were female (60%). The ethnic composition was primarily Malay (54.8%), followed by Orang Asli (44.3%), with the majority (68.2%) were married. Majority (93.9%) had low income, with over half (52.9%) being self-employed and about 44.6% completed their secondary education. Majority of the respondents (99.4%) demonstrated poor knowledge about leprosy. Perceived stigma has significant associations with age (p=0.049) and ethnicity (p=0.046). Logistic regression revealed older adults (aOR=1.842, 95% CI 1.047, 3.241) and Orang Asli individuals (aOR=1.702, 95% CI 1.005, 2.882) were significant contributors to perceived stigma. Conclusion: The study reveals significant stigma towards leprosy, especially among older adults and Orang Asli, highlighting the urgent need for targeted educational interventions to foster community inclusivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]