The menace of incomplete data: a review of tuberculosis DOTS data at a tertiary hospital in southern Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Background: This paper presents data from a TB-DOTS centre in southern Nigeria in a bid to explore the peculiarities with incompleteness and identify weakness in data management and to proffer solutions to the problem going forward.Methods: This was a cross-sectional records review of 146 patients seen from 2012 to 2015. Results: The degree of data completeness reduced progres-sively in the course of treatment. From 73.3%, initial complete-ness of AAFB documentation reduced to 37.0% at the second month, and further to 14.4% at the fifth month. Mean weight gain was significant in all TB patients treated (p<0.001), but weight at the beginning and end of treatment course was recorded in just over a third of patients. Data on treatment outcome was not available for 83 (56.8%) of patients. Only 43 (29.5%) were recorded as cured but inference from the incom-plete AFB statistics showed the numbers should be higher. Conclusion: Significant gaps in TB data management create difficulties with TB program evaluation. Health workers at TB/DOTS sites need to be abreast with record keeping and adapt eTB manager for local use