posted on 2019-07-24, 03:38authored byCarlos Dornels Freire de Souza, Daniela Lessa de Carvalho Tavares, Clodis Maria Tavares, Alda Graciele Claudio dos Santos Almeida, Selma Maria Pereira da Silva Accioly, João Paulo Silva de Paiva, Thiago Cavalcanti Leal, Victor Santana Santos
Abstract INTRODUCTION: Monitoring disability trends is required to evaluate leprosy elimination. We assessed the trends in disability indicators and its association with space in Alagoas, Brazil. METHODS: We conducted an ecological study in all leprosy cases from 2006 to 2016. Disability indicators were analyzed using the joinpoint regression model. RESULTS: The proportion of new cases with grade 2 disability at diagnosis ranged from 4.7% to 11.9% (annual percent change, 1.4; P= 0.7), while at discharge, it ranged from 0.0% to 12.3% (annual percent change, -21.8; P= 0.2). CONCLUSIONS: Disability indicators had a stable trend over the study period.