Social participation of people affected with leprosy in India: what does the literature tell us? A systematic review.

Leprosy is a public health concern in India, with significant social stigma and exclusion faced by affected individuals. Social participation is a critical component of rehabilitation and overall well-being, yet limited evidence has been synthesized regarding the associated factors. Therefore, this systematic review aimed to provide an overview of the social participation of people affected by leprosy from the existing literature in India. Scopus, PubMed and InfoLep databases were searched to identify the articles for the systematic review, which only includes studies conducted in India. The critical appraisal tool of cross-sectional studies-AXIS-was used to assess the study quality and risk of bias. The search identified 458 articles; 23 full-text articles were considered for eligibility, six of which were included in the review. All studies used the Participation Scale to assess social participation in individuals with leprosy. Findings showed associations between older age, female gender, lower socioeconomic status, longer disease duration and the multibacillary form of leprosy with participation restrictions. To overcome the restrictions on the social activities of people affected by leprosy, a comprehensive approach, consisting of health promotion activities, early accessible healthcare and improved rehabilitation services, is needed.