Acceptability of Immunoprophylaxis and/or Chemoprophylaxis for Household Contacts of Patients with Hansen’s Disease: A Prospective, Single-Center, Mixed Methods Study Armi D.V. Espiridion-Calma, Belen L. Doftas and Maria Elinor Grace Q. Sison Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine and Philippine General Hospital, University of the Philippines Manila ABSTRACT Objectves. Leprosy is an infectous disease afectng the skin and nerves caused by Mycobacterium leprae. Closer physical distance was found to increase risk transmission. Thus, targeted provision of prophylactc medicatons to household contacts of patents with leprosy could possibly aid in decreasing its incidence in a cost-efectve manner. This study aimed to determine the attudes towards disclosure of the diagnosis of leprosy and acceptance of immuno- and chemoprophylaxis for household contacts of patents undergoing treatment in a dermatology outpatent clinic of a tertary hospital in the Philippines. Methods. We conducted a prospectve, single-center, cross-sectonal and mixed methods study at a dermatology clinic of a tertary hospital. All diagnosed leprosy patents, household contacts of leprosy patents, and individuals with no leprosy and no known contact with a leprosy case were invited. Eligible partcipants who gave consent were included in the cross-sectonal survey, followed by in-depth interviews of selected partcipants. STATA 12 was used to analyze the data. Descriptve statstcs were used to summarize informaton. Chi-square was computed to obtain a measure of associaton of important variables. The feld notes and the verbatm transcriptons of the interviews and narratves were fled using an analytc memo system. Results. Fify-fve partcipants (22 Hansen’s disease patents, 13 household contacts, and 20 individuals unafected by and unexposed to leprosy) were enrolled. Mean age of respondents was 38 years, 60% were female, and 85% were living in an urban setng. Majority of the patents with leprosy were borderline lepromatous (45%) to lepromatous type (27%) with mean treatment duraton of 13 months. Overall, the respondents were willing to disclose the diagnosis of leprosy to their household members to facilitate provision of prophylaxis. They were also generally willing to receive prophylaxis despite potental side efects, expense, incomplete protecton, and the need for yearly assessment for the development of leprosy. All respondents felt hopeful about the availability of medicatons that can prevent the development of leprosy and its complicatons, with some feeling anxious and only a few being embarrassed about receiving them. Conclusions. Prophylactc medicatons were found to be generally acceptable despite some concerns. There is also a willingness to disclose the diagnosis of leprosy to facilitate the targeted provision of prophylaxis to household contacts. Key Words: leprosy, post-exposure prophylaxis, attude INTRODUCTION Leprosy is a chronic, slowly progressing, infectious disease afecting the skin and nerves caused by the bacillus, Mycobacterium leprae. Spread is thought to occur primarily through respiratory route; however, there is evidence that M. leprae can be shed through the skin and that it can possibly be transmitted through exposed skin surfaces. 1 Incubation period is usually around 5 years, but can be up to 20 years in Corresponding author: Armi D.V Espiridion-Calma, MD Department of Dermatology Philippine General Hospital University of the Philippines Manila Taf Avenue, Manila 1000, Philippines Email: armiespiridion@gmail.com VOL. 54 NO. 3 2020 ACTA MEDICA PHILIPPINA 278 ORIGINAL ARTICLE