Psychosocial Experiences of Podoconiosis Patients' the Case of Wolayta Zone
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Date
2010-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The main purpose of this study was to assess the psychosocial experiences of
podoconiosis patients. To this end, the study examined the psychosocial experiences of
120 podoconiosis patients of which 12 purposively selected podoconiosis patients
participated in the in-depth interview. Each patient's were selected from patient register
docwnent by using systematic sampling. The instruments employed in the study were
interviewer administrated questionnaire and semi structured interview. The questionnaire
includes Rosenberg Self-Esteem scale, SRQ20, and Likert scale type questions developed
by the researcher. Methods of data analysis employed in the study were descriptive
statistics, bivariate correlations, one way ANOV A and multiple regressions. The results
of quantitative and qualitative analyses of the data disclosed that podoconiosis patients
experience negative social experience like displacement, interpersonal relationship
problems, marriage problem, decision making problem. The patients have low selfesteem
and high mental distress. Males experience more negative social experience and
high mental distress than females, and the older age group patients' experience less
negative social experience and mental di stress than younger podoconiosis patients. The
self-esteem of the patients decreases when their educational status increases whereas
mental distress decreases with increasing education level. When the severity level of the
patients increases their negative social experience and mental distress increases. Sex and
severity level have positive correlation with social experience and mental distress
whereas age of the patients is negatively correlated with the social experience and mental
distress. Physical disability, economic challenge, absence of counseling service, bad
smell of the leg, societal negative reactions were the major problems which hinder
podoconiosis patients to integrate into the wider community. Performing religious rituals,
discussing with family, friends and relatives, and aggressive way of acting are some of
the coping strategies used by the patients to manage their stress. On the basis of the
findings the study finally provided discussions. Providing counseling service for
podoconiosis patients, integrating the disease into the health care system of the country,
and civil societies and professionals should play their part to address the psychosocial
problems of podoconiosis patients are among the reconmlendations provided based on
the study.
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Keywords
Experiences of Podoconiosis Patients