Treatment Outcome of Tuberculosis Patients under Directly Observed Treatment of Short Course in Nekemte Town, Western Ethiopia: Retrospective Cohort Study

Abstract

A retrospective study was conducted to assess the treatment outcome of tuberculosis patients enrolled in Directly Observed Treatment Short Course (DOTS) program over the course of five year (2009-2013) in six selected institutions providing DOTS program in Nekemte Town, Western Ethiopia from April to August, 2014. A total of 1175 tuberculosis patients were involved in the study: 14.5% were cured, 56.3% treatment completed, 0.2% was treatment failure, 8.1% were died during follow-up, 7.1% were reported as defaulters and 13.8% were transferred out to another health institution. The overall treatment success rate was 70.8% and show progressive increases over the course of the study. The associated predictors were enrolment years, HIV co-infection, and sputum smear follow up in second, fifth and seven months. Thus, continues follow-up of patients during the course of treatment and providing early detection and follow up for HIV infection need to be strength for improving treatment outcome.