Klien kusta sebagai kondisi at risk di komunitas memerlukan perawatan untuk mencegah gangguan fungsi dan memberdayakan klien kusta. Penelitian ini bertujuan mendapatkan arti dan makna pengalaman klien dewasa menjalani perawatan kusta di komunitas. Penelitian dilaksanakan melalui pendekatan kualitatif desain fenomenologi deskriptif. Metode pengumpulan data adalah wawancara mendalam dan catatan lapangan. Partisipan adalah klien kusta dewasa yang menjalani perawatan dan pengobatan MDT di Jenggawah. Data dianalisis dengan teknik Collaizi.
Penelitian ini mengidentifikasi tiga belas tema, yaitu: respon negatif, respon positif, gambaran diri dan penyakit, kepatuhan, pemenuhan kebutuhan dasar, pemenuhan perawatan diri, jenis pelayanan, tugas perawatan kesehatan keluarga, harapan terhadap diri sendiri, keluarga, masyarakat, dan puskesmas.
Hasil penelitian menunjukkan pengalaman klien dewasa menjalani perawatan sangat bervariasi dan unik sehingga memerlukan dukungan semua pihak agar klien kusta dalam kehidupannya dapat sehat, mandiri, dan produktif. Hasil penelitian diharapkan dapat menjadi dasar program promosi, prevensi, dan proteksi kusta di Indonesia dengan mengintegrasikan model intervensi keperawatan komunitas dan melibatkan instansi terkait.
One of population at risk at the community is a group of leprosy clients. They are needed to be treatment to prevent disturbance in body function as well as empowering leprosy clients. This study purposes to gain the value and meaning of leprosy adult clients experience in having leprosy treatment in the community. The study was done by qualitative approach in descriptive phenomenology design. The data collection method was done by in depth interviewing and taking field notes. The participants were leprosy adult clients who are under treatment and MDT medication at Jenggawah Public Health Center. The data was analyzed by Collaizi's technique. The study results are 13 themes: negative response, positive response, body image, disease description, client compliance, ability in fulfilling the basic needs, ability to have self care, types of services, family health task, expectation to self, to family, to society, to Public Health Center. The results of this study showed that adult clients experience in having leprosy treatment were unique and have a large range of variation therefore it needed support from all parties to make leprosy clients can be healthy, independent and productive in their life. These results are expected can be a foundation for prevention and promotion program as well as leprosy clients health protection in having leprosy treatment by integrating community nursing intervention model and involve the relevance institution.
