Project coordination
NLR India Foundation
Partners
The Task Force for Global Health
NLR
Association of People Affected by Leprosy (APAL)
Emory University,Atlanta,USA
Life University, GA,USA
Aim: This study aims to address the following research question; To what extent can compassion training that specifically addresses stigma improve compassion and quality of care offered by health workers to persons affected by leprosy and other stigmatizing health conditions?
Full project title:
Compassion training for reducing stigma and improving quality of care for persons affected by leprosy
Final project summary:
People affected by leprosy often experience stigma, discrimination, and social exclusion, which can have a profound impact on their wellbeing, healthcare experiences, and quality of life. While healthcare services play a critical role in supporting affected individuals, the attitudes, behaviours, and communication skills of healthcare providers can significantly influence how patients feel about themselves and the care they receive.
Recognising the importance of compassionate healthcare, this project set out to develop, implement, and evaluate a training programme designed to help healthcare workers better understand stigma and deliver more respectful, empathetic, and person-centred care to people affected by leprosy in Jharkhand, India.
The project began with extensive consultations involving healthcare workers, people affected by leprosy, and their family members. Through questionnaires, interviews, and group discussions with 80 healthcare workers and 80 affected individuals, researchers explored experiences of compassion, stigma, discrimination, and healthcare delivery. These findings informed the design of a tailored compassion-focused training programme.
Three key training resources were developed: a Facilitators’ Guide, a Doctors’ Self-Help Guide, and a Paramedical Workers’ Self-Help Guide. The training was delivered to four groups of healthcare providers, including doctors, nurses, counsellors, paramedical workers, and support staff. To reinforce the learning, the project also created a Ten-Point Compassion Charter, encouraging healthcare workers to treat patients with dignity and respect, understand their emotional experiences, promote inclusion, and reflect on their own attitudes and behaviours.
Following the training, researchers conducted a comprehensive evaluation involving the same number of healthcare workers and persons affected by leprosy, alongside in-depth interviews and focus group discussions.
The results were highly encouraging. People affected by leprosy reported improvements in their overall wellbeing and described healthcare workers as being more understanding, supportive, and respectful. Participants felt that the quality of care they received had improved, and many reported reduced feelings of shame about their condition and lower expectations of being discriminated against. Although stigma in the wider community remained a challenge, the healthcare environment became noticeably more welcoming and inclusive.
Healthcare workers also demonstrated significant positive changes. Participants reported greater compassion in their daily practice, improved communication skills, increased emotional awareness, stronger teamwork, and a greater focus on understanding and responding to the individual needs and experiences of patients.
The study showed that compassion training is both practical and effective within routine primary healthcare settings. By addressing not only knowledge and attitudes but also empathy, self-reflection, emotional awareness, self-compassion, and provider wellbeing, the programme represents an important advance beyond traditional stigma-reduction approaches.
In the short term, the intervention improved patient-provider relationships, enhanced patient wellbeing, and strengthened compassionate care practices among healthcare workers. In the longer term, the training materials, Compassion Charter, and evidence generated through the study provide a scalable model that can be integrated into public health programmes. While developed for leprosy services, the approach also has wider relevance and could be adapted to support care for people affected by other stigmatized health conditions.
The project’s findings have already generated significant interest among policymakers and healthcare providers. Results were shared at a state-level workshop in Ranchi, Jharkhand, and at a national dissemination event in New Delhi in 2026. A policy paper has also been prepared to support wider adoption of compassion-based approaches within health systems.
This project demonstrates that fostering compassion within healthcare is a powerful tool for reducing stigma, improving patient experiences, and promoting more inclusive, person-centred care. By placing dignity, empathy, and understanding at the heart of healthcare delivery, the initiative offers a promising pathway towards better outcomes for people affected by leprosy and other stigmatized conditions.