Treatment adherence of tuberculosis patients in Bethania hospital, Sialhot

ABSTRACT

A retrospective follow up study of 3950 consecutive TB patients carried out in Bethania Hospital, Sialkot-Pakistan from 1988-1990, shows that only 1 out of every 3 patients complete their treatment. Defaulting is very important in the first weeks of treatment. The influence of the following factors on the treatment adherence has been shown, treatment regimen, realisation of a pre-treatment sputum test [patients with smear test comply better than those without smear examination], age [15-44 years have highest compliance], sex [females comply better than males] and disease classification [pulmonary cases comply better than extra-pulmonary cases]