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Feasibility Of Social Capital and Leprosy Patients In India : A Quantitative Study
Leprosy still evokes social stigma and prejudices in the society and it exercises constraints on the patients to live a socially excluded life. Low level of social capital is one of the manifestations of social stigma associated to leprosy. In the present study an attempt has been made to understand the observance of effect on social capital in case of patients suffering from leprosy. A total of 120 leprosy sufferers were selected randomly from ‘The Leprosy Mission (TLM)’ hospital of Allahabad district of Uttar Pradesh (India). Both deformed (N=60) and non-deformed (N=60) patients were selected in the sample. Data were collected through interview – schedule in two time context; i.e. before the onset of ailment and after the onset of ailment. Interaction patterns of leprosy sufferers with their family and community were also observed. In addition, a four point scale was also used to observe the intensity of social capital with the increased intensity of deformation. Analysis of data indicates that deformed leprosy patients have low social capital in terms of interpersonal trust, reciprocity, social support and social participation than non-deformed patients. ‘Sin of previous birth’, ‘punishment of God’, ‘fear of infection by germs’ and ‘visible signs of deformation’ lead to low social capital in case of leprosy patients. On the contrary ‘unawareness about the ailment’, ‘lack of physical deformation’, and ‘modern medical belief system’ are promoting their bonding with their family and community as much as before the onset of ailment. In that case patients have good stock of social capital.