Abstract
BackgroundNon-adherence to anti-TB treatment is one of the crucial challenges in improving tuberculosis (TB) treatment outcomes and reducing healthcare costs. The poor adherence to anti-TB treatment among patients with TB is a major problem in Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess the level of and associated factors for non-adherence to anti-TB therapy among patients with tuberculosis in the Gamo Gofa Zone.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted at Gamo Gofa Zone from July 20 – August 30, 2017. A multi-stage sampling technique was used. The study included 289 patients who were on anti-TB treatment. Data were collected by trained data collectors using a structured and pre-tested questionnaire through interviews. A multiple logistic regression model was fitted using SPSS 23 to identify factors associated with non-adherence to anti-TB treatment at a 5% significance level.ResultsWe found that 16.5% of the participants were non-adherent for anti-TB treatment. Failure to disclose one’s TB status to his or her family (AOR = 31.7; 95% CI: 9.1–111.1), having no information on the expected adverse events (AOR = 31.1; 95% CI: 7.5–128.3), past anti-TB treatment history (AOR = 5.3; 95% CI: 1.5–18.8) and a smoking cigarette (AOR = 11.7; 95% CI: 3.2–43.03) were found to be associated with a higher odds of being non-adherent to anti-TB treatment.ConclusionsThe level of non-adherence to anti-TB treatment among TB patients was high. Health care providers should counsel TB patients on the expected adverse events and measures to be taken when patients face the expected adverse events. They should also counsel their patients to disclose their TB status to his or her family and for ceasing cigarette smoking.
Highlights
Non-adherence to anti-TB treatment is one of the crucial challenges in improving tuberculosis (TB) treatment outcomes and reducing healthcare costs
A total of 249 participants were included in this study with a response rate of 86.2%
One hundred eighty-nine (75.9%) of the participants walk to the health facility
Summary
Non-adherence to anti-TB treatment is one of the crucial challenges in improving tuberculosis (TB) treatment outcomes and reducing healthcare costs. The poor adherence to anti-TB treatment among patients with TB is a major problem in Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess the level of and associated factors for non-adherence to anti-TB therapy among patients with tuberculosis in the Gamo Gofa Zone. Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It typically affects the lungs (pulmonary TB), but can affect other sites (extrapulmonary TB) [1]. Most people who had TB disease can be cured with early diagnosis and correct treatment. It has been continued as a leading cause of death from a single infectious agent ranking on top of HIV/AIDS for the past five years [2]. Ethiopia is in the list of 30 high burden countries (HBCs), with an estimated total incidence of TB 165 per 100,000 population [3]
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