Pre-Treatment Loss to Follow Up of Tuberculosis Patients; Prevalence and Reasons for It in Central Karnataka, India

ABSTRACT

Background: Pre-treatment loss to follow up (PTLFU) is defined as diagnosed TB patients not initiated on treatment within 14 days of TB diagnosis. Bringing these PTLFU cases into care can reduce the dis-ease transmission and mortality. The present study was undertaken with main objectives to study the prevalence of PTLFU in TB patients and to know the reasons for PTLFU. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 38 PTLFU TB patients of Davangere dis-trict, Karnataka from January to March 2019. Study participants were personally interviewed using pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire. Data was analyzed using SPSS software. Results: The prevalence of PTLFU in TB patients is 3.6%. The reasons for PTLFU were, out of the 38 study subjects, 17 (47%) of them were initiated on treatment in private sector but reported as PTLFU. 7 (18%) died in hospital before treatment initiation. 7 (18%) did not start the treatment because of fear of side effects following anti tuberculosis treatment, whereas 2 (6%) of them did not take treatment by see-ing the side effects in others and 5 (13%) had alcoholic withdrawal effects. Conclusions: Improvement in recording of contact details, biometric registration of all presumptive TB cases and pre-treatment counselling of all diagnosed TB patients may reduce PTLFU.