The comparison of tuberculosis treatments: a short course therapy and the directly observed short course treatment (DOTS), East Java Province, Indonesia.

Tuberculosis has been given great attention as HIV/AIDS has increased. Because HIV causes a higher tuberculosis risk is becoming more and more important better tuberculosis treatment. This study aimed to compare the smear conversion rate between short course therapy and the tuberculosis treatment with directly observed short course therapy (DOTS), in East Java, Indonesia. The average smear conversion rate in short course therapy among 35,292 cases was 94.40% over 5 year period (1989/90-1993/94). The tuberculosis treatment with DOTS was started in 1994/95. In the first 2 years the smear conversion rate were 97.67% (42/43) and 98.00% (196/200), respectively. The smear conversion rate of the treatment with DOTS was significantly higher compared to a short course therapy (p-value: <0.001). Thus, tuberculosis treatment with DOTS should be promoted. The concept of supervision by health workers or health cadres should be applied considering mostly are given by family members. And there should be readiness of tuberculosis staff to do the treatment with DOTS in all levels to expand the coverage.

Factors associated with TT (tetanus toxoid) immunization among pregnant women, in Saparua, Maluku, Indonesia.

A cross sectional study was conducted at Saparua Health Center to determine factors associated with the administration of tetanus toxoid. In all, 64 pregnant women were recruited. The majority of the women were housewives, aged 17 to 30 years old, and having more than one child. They were educated to high school, knew some information on tetanus toxoid, and knew at least one of the tetanus symptoms. Almost all did not know the cause of tetanus. The logistic regression of knowledge on tetanus and TT immunization: mothers who heard of TT were 1.54 more likely to have been immunized than those who did not, while mothers who knew the use of tetanus toxoid were 2.15 times more likely to have been immunized than those who did not, and those who knew at least one of the tetanus symptoms were 1.86 times more likely to have been immunized than those who did not, respectively controlling other variables constant. Furthermore, women who had antenatal care were 30 times more likely to have been immunized than those who did not. Enhancing mothers knowledge on tetanus is important to increase the coverage of tetanus toxoid. Moreover, antenatal care would cause contact with sources of tetanus toxoid and hence increase the chance of having the immunization. At the same time, this decreases tetanus neonatorum. Considering the majority of pregnant women received information on tetanus from healthworkers, the use a variety of media would be advantageous.