Leprosy Awareness Survey63.3% Expect Mass Media to Promote Understanding

In connection with World Leprosy Day 2015,* observed on January 25, the Nippon Foundation has conducted a Leprosy Awareness Survey (PDF/49KB). References to leprosy date to the Old Testament, but even today when medical treatment is available, the disease continues to be accompanied by discrimination and stigma.

The survey showed that while overall 64.4% of people are aware of the disease of leprosy, there is a stark difference in awareness by generation, with more than 80% of persons aged 60 to 69 aware of the disease, but falling to 52.3% for persons aged 18 to 29. In addition, although a high percentage—79.5%—of respondents who were aware of leprosy were also aware that discrimination and stigma continue to be associated with the disease, more than 80% of these respondents associated leprosy with “isolation,” indicating that few people correctly understand leprosy to be a disease for which no stigma should be attached.

In response to the question of what needed to be done to remove leprosy-related stigma and discrimination, “teaching the correct information in schools” received the highest response at 81.5%, followed by “proactive reporting and coverage by the media” at 63.3%. Furthermore, the fact that 83.9% of respondents—the highest percentage—were aware of leprosy via newspapers and television indicates high expectations of the media as the main route for conveying an awareness of leprosy.

Under the theme “To Think About Leprosy Is to Think About People,” the Nippon Foundation is holding a variety of events and campaigns to promote a correct understanding of leprosy, with the goal of eliminating stigma and discrimination associated with the disease.