Sys Rev Pharm 2020;11(7):219-223 A multifaceted review journal in the field of pharmacy 219 Systematic Reviews in Pharmacy Vol 11, Issue 7, July-Aug 2020 Experience of Persons Affected by Leprosy in Facing Psychosocial Problems: A Qualitative Method Ah Yusuf 1* , Ronal Surya Aditya 2 , Esti Yunitasari 1 , Aditya Nuraminudin Aziz 3, Fitriana Kurniasari Solikhah 4 1 Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia 2 STIKes Kepanjen, Malang, Indonesia 3 STIKes Bahrul Ulum, Jombang, Indonesia 4 Poltekkes Kemenkes Malang, Indonesia Correspondence: Ah Yusuf Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Airlangga Surabaya, Indonesia. Email: ah-yusuf@fkp.unair.ac.id ABSTRACT Background: Leprosy is a tropical disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae and is characterized by damage to the skin and peripheral nerves due to direct contact with leprosy patients. Leprosy is one of the oldest diseases known to humanity, but significant gaps remain in the knowledge about this disease. Methods: This research was designed with a qualitative approach using phenomenology study. The total number of participants was 16 participants. Data were collected using in-depth interview, and NVivo 10 was used to identify themes and patterns in further data. Results: This research was conducted to explore the experience of persons affected by leprosy in facing psychosocial problems. The results of this study found three themes: Anxiety, Pulling away, Impaired self-concept Conclusion: This study has provided a prevalence rate for psychosocial problems in this group of patients. Social stigma has an essential role in persuading psychological disorders in patients with Hansen's disease. For further researchers, the early detection and treatment of psychosocial disorders among these patients was powerful. Keywords: Leprosy, Psychosocial, Phenomenology. Correspondence: Ah Yusuf Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Airlangga Surabaya, Indonesia. Email: ah-yusuf@fkp.unair.ac.id INTRODUCTION Leprosy is a tropical disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae and is characterized by damage to the skin and peripheral nerves due to direct contact with leprosy patients 1,2 . WHO (World Health Organization) reported new case leprosy in 2018 as many as 184,212 cases from 13 countries, Indonesia belongs to the country that has a new case is 17,017. In East Java, The Leprosy case became the highest (4,013) 3 . Leprosy infects the eyes, hands and feet of the patient so that abnormalities arise, which result in limited daily activities of the patient until permanent disability occurs 4,5 . This disorder occurs not only in patients who stop therapy but also occurs in patients who even finish therapy 5 . Psychosocial problems often occur in people with leprosy which can affect the psychological aspects of sufferers, such as depression, low self-esteem, anxiety, and withdrawal 6 . Psychosocial problems in people with leprosy cause a decrease in quality of life 7,8 . Lack of knowledge, community stigma against sufferers 9,10 and physical disability cause sufferers to feel challenging to get along with others so that sufferers feel ashamed to do activities and ostracized by the community 11,12 . According to 7 who conducted a systematic review of people affected by leprosy concluded that sufferers who had psychosocial problems but did not understand how they felt 13 . Quantitative research conducted by 9 , found that the psychological aspects and quality of life of people with leprosy will decrease. The same results obtained by 14 in leprosy sufferers will appear psychological disorders such as depression and anxiety disorders. Problems related not only to individuals with leprosy but also to families of leprosy patients, namely psychosocial pressure and decreased financial income 15 . Of the various problems faced by individuals who can overcome ability difficulties 16 with coping and good self- concept 17 to enable copying that is adaptable 18 . Depressive disorders that are not treated immediately will cause a decrease in quality of life and even more significant disability 19 . To the extent that research conducted on people with leprosy only focuses on the cause of leprosy, but no research digs deeper into psychosocial issues. Psychosocial lepers also influence increased immunity. Based on the above problems, the purpose of this study is to explore psychosocial problems experienced by leprosy sufferers qualitatively phenomenology. The function of this research is to explore more in-depth the psychosocial aspects through the perspective of the sufferer. METHODS Study design A qualitative phenomenological research design was carried out to investigate the exploration of leprosy patients. Data were obtained from interviews with focus groups of leprosy patients about their experiences dealing with psychosocial problems. A structured interview protocol consisting of 10 open-ended questions was used. Population This research was conducted in the working area of East Java Province. Participation in scheduled focus groups is voluntary and anonymous. Participants need to feel comfortable with the questions asked and answer them in Indonesian and Javanese, which are the most commonly used languages. Before data collection, each participant signed an informed consent form and gave oral consent to participate in this study.