TY - JOUR
T1 - Factors associated with functional limitations and subsequent employment or schooling in Buruli ulcer patients
AU - Stienstra, Ymkje
AU - Van Roest, Margijske H.G.
AU - Van Wezel, Marieke J.
AU - Wiersma, Irene C.
AU - Hospers, Ilona C.
AU - Dijkstra, Pieter U.
AU - Johnson, R. Christian
AU - Ampadu, Edwin O.
AU - Gbovi, Jules
AU - Zinsou, Claude
AU - Etuaful, Samuel
AU - Klutse, Erasmus Y.
AU - Van Der Graaf, Winette T.A.
AU - Van Der Werf, Tjip S.
PY - 2005/12/1
Y1 - 2005/12/1
N2 - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate former Buruli ulcer disease (BUD) patients to assess the factors associated with functional limitations and subsequent employment or schooling. METHODS: The previously validated Buruli ulcer functional limitation score (BUFLS) questionnaire and interviews about educational and professional consequences incurred by BUD. RESULTS: Of 638 participants, 362 (57%) had a functional limitation after a median period of almost 4 years after treatment for BUD. A lesion on a joint, older age, female gender, a lesion on a distal part of an extremity and a persistent wound were found to be independent risk factors for stopping work or education. The same risk factors applied to the development of a functional limitation. Both functional limitations and financial difficulties due to BUD disease often led to job loss and school dropout. CONCLUSIONS: Rehabilitation programmes are urgently needed to diminish the suffering from the functional limitations and employment or schooling problems caused by BUD.
AB - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate former Buruli ulcer disease (BUD) patients to assess the factors associated with functional limitations and subsequent employment or schooling. METHODS: The previously validated Buruli ulcer functional limitation score (BUFLS) questionnaire and interviews about educational and professional consequences incurred by BUD. RESULTS: Of 638 participants, 362 (57%) had a functional limitation after a median period of almost 4 years after treatment for BUD. A lesion on a joint, older age, female gender, a lesion on a distal part of an extremity and a persistent wound were found to be independent risk factors for stopping work or education. The same risk factors applied to the development of a functional limitation. Both functional limitations and financial difficulties due to BUD disease often led to job loss and school dropout. CONCLUSIONS: Rehabilitation programmes are urgently needed to diminish the suffering from the functional limitations and employment or schooling problems caused by BUD.
KW - Africa
KW - Buruli ulcer
KW - Employment
KW - Functional limitations
KW - Mycobacterium ulcerans
KW - Risk factors
U2 - 10.1111/j.1365-3156.2005.01519.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1365-3156.2005.01519.x
M3 - Article
VL - 10
SP - 1251
EP - 1257
JO - Tropical Medicine & International Health
JF - Tropical Medicine & International Health
IS - 12
ER -