%0 Journal Article
%T Health
%A Asabea Britton
%A Love Bergman
%A £¿sa Kneck
%J Nordic Journal of Nursing Research
%@ 2057-1593
%D 2018
%R 10.1177/2057158517719603
%X The aim of the study was to describe nurses¡¯ experiences of how stigma affected the care and health of patients with leprosy. Health-related stigma exists worldwide and affects patients, relatives and caregivers. Mere word ¡®leprosy¡¯ is often met with disgust, shame and fear. Knowledge of health-related stigma is important for developing care in different parts of the world. The study has a qualitative, descriptive design. Seven semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with nurses working at a hospital specializing in leprosy care. The study was carried out in the central region of Ghana. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The findings are presented as one theme, ¡®Increased knowledge and holistic interventions are important in care for patients with leprosy¡¯, and three sub-themes: ¡®knowledge and beliefs are intimately interlaced with leprosy-related stigma¡¯, ¡®information is important but not enough to change behaviours and attitudes¡¯ and ¡®long-term interventions in a social context¡¯. We conclude that caring for patients with leprosy involved long-term interventions, not at least in relation to education on a society level as well as concerning patients¡¯ abilities to learn a skill to make an income in order to be less dependent on healthcare facilities
%K caring
%K education
%K leprosy
%K nursing
%K stigma
%U https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2057158517719603