Leprosy segregation

Date and country of first publication

1993
United Kingdom

Definition

Leprosy segregation refers to the historical practice of isolating and segregating individuals with leprosy from the rest of society. This practice dates back to ancient times and was based on the fear and misconception that leprosy was highly contagious.

In many cultures, people with leprosy were forced to live in leper colonies or leprosariums, which were isolated communities where they were removed from the general population. They were often treated as outcasts and faced stigma, discrimination, and social ostracism.

However, with advancements in medical knowledge and treatment, it is now understood that leprosy is not highly contagious and can be effectively treated with antibiotics. As a result, leprosy segregation is no longer considered necessary or ethical, and efforts are being made to integrate individuals affected by leprosy back into society and combat the stigma associated with the disease.

Leprosy segregation appears in the following literature

Duncan M.E. (1993). An historical and clinical review of the interaction of leprosy and pregnancy: A cycle to be broken. Social Science and Medicine, 37(4), 457-472. https://doi.org/10.1016/0277-9536(93)90281-8

Sato H., Narita M. (2003). Politics of leprosy segregation in Japan: The emergence, transformation and abolition of the patient segregation policy. Social Science and Medicine, 56(12), 2529-2539. Elsevier Ltd.https://doi.org/10.1016/S0277-9536(02)00285-X

Pandya S.S. (2003). The first international leprosy conference, Berlin, 1897: the politics of segregation.. História, ciências, saúde--Manguinhos, 10(Suppl 1), 161-177. https://doi.org/10.1590/s0104-59702003000400008

Miyasaka M. (2014). The justice of listening: Japanese leprosy segregation. We Shall Bear Witness: Life Narratives and Human Rights, 100-117. University of Wisconsin Press.https://doi.org/