1Department of Public Health, Saint Lideta College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
2Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia
American Journal of Epidemiology and Infectious Disease.
2018,
Vol. 6 No. 1, 24-29
DOI: 10.12691/ajeid-6-1-5
Copyright © 2018 Science and Education PublishingCite this paper: Melsew Getinet Tsegaw, Yimer Seid Yimer. Tuberculosis Treatment Non-compliance Rate and Associated Factors at Public and Private Tuberculosis Follow up Clinics in Northeast Ethiopia: A Comparative Cross Sectional Study.
American Journal of Epidemiology and Infectious Disease. 2018; 6(1):24-29. doi: 10.12691/ajeid-6-1-5.
Correspondence to: Melsew Getinet Tsegaw, Department of Public Health, Saint Lideta College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Email:
melsewg@gmail.comAbstract
Background: Non-Compliance to tuberculosis treatment is an important barrier for tuberculosis control programs because incomplete treatment may result in prolonged infectiousness, drug resistance, relapse, and death. Objective: This study was aimed at assessing treatment non-compliance rate and associated factors among registered tuberculosis patients at public and private directly observed therapy short course centers in Northeast Ethiopia. Methods: The study population was all individuals aged ≥18 years. Study subjects were selected using simple random sampling methods using patient’s registration number as a sampling frame. Data was collected using standardized, well-structured and pre-tested questionnaire. Both bivariate and multivariate logistic regression techniques were applied to analyze the data using statistical package for social science version 21. Results: High rate of treatment non-compliance was found in both patients managed in private (32.2%) and public (27.6%) tuberculosis clinics. Forgetfulness, use of addictive substance and unavailability of drugs remained significant predictors of non-compliance both in public and private tuberculosis clinics. Herbal medication use was significantly associated with treatment non-compliance only among patients attending public tuberculosis clinics, AOR (95% CI) = 5.646(2.12, 15.05). Unlike patients at public tuberculosis clinics, monthly income, knowledge about tuberculosis, closure of tuberculosis clinics and health education showed significant association with non-compliance at private tuberculosis clinics. Conclusions: Forgetfulness, use of addictive substance and unavailability of drug were found to be the three most important factors, leading to treatment noncompliance both in public and private clinics. Integrating health education and counseling services with assigned particular personnel in all facilities and provision of alarming machines to all patients is recommended.
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