Access and Awareness of Morbidity Management and Disability Prevention for Lower Limb Lymphatic Filariasis in Post-Mass Drug Administration Districts in Southern India

The Global Program to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) aims to eliminate transmission through mass drug administration (MDA) and manage LF disease through morbidity management and disability prevention (MMDP). In this study, surveys on awareness and access to MMDP and quality of life (QoL) among lower limb LF cases in a censused population in two post-MDA districts in Tamil Nadu were conducted. The prevalence of lower limb LF was 0.11% (165/147,871), with 57.6% in reversible stage 1 and 2 categories, 36.4% in stage 3, and 6.1% in stage 4 and above. Among them, 22.4% reported health worker visits, 11.5% were aware of MMDP camps, and 36.4% received MMDP kits. The life activity (mean score: 48.5; SD: 27.3) and mobility (41.2; 24.2) domains exhibited the poorest QoL scores. In post-MDA districts, strengthening the reach and awareness of MMDP programs in communities, especially for early, reversible stages, is pivotal to halting disease progression and improving QoL.