CHAPTER IV - TREATMENT BEHAVIOUR OF TB PATIENTS <<Back
 
b) Measures to Improve Treatment Adherence
 
256
AU : Beyers N, Gie RP, Hchaaf HS, van Zyl S, Nel ED, Talent JM & Donald PR
TI : Delay in diagnosis, notification and initiation of treatment and compliance with tuberculosis.
SO : TUBERCLE & LUNG DIS 1994, 75, 260-265
DT : Per
AB :

The mortality and morbidity from childhood TB may be influenced by the delay from the time of first symptoms until the start of and compliance with treatment. This study investigated these delay periods and the compliance with therapy in children with TB. During the study period in Cape Town, S. Africa, there were 49 children with probable and 123 with confirmed pulmonary TB (WHO criteria). The mean period from first symptoms until presentation was 4.3 weeks, from presentation until notification 5 weeks and from notification until therapy 0.9 weeks. Sixteen percent of children notified as having TB never received therapy. Significantly fewer children in the urban squatter communities received therapy than in urban settled (P = 0.02), rural agricultural (P = 0.0001) and rural settled (P = 0.09) communities. Twelve percent of the children did not complete their therapy. The delay in presentation (“patient delay”) was shorter than the delay in diagnosis (“doctor delay”). Failure to trace children and to complete therapy was particularly likely to occur in urban squatter communities. Easier access to health care facilities may shorten the “patient delay”, while greater awareness of TB and proper investigation of children may shorten the “doctor delay”.

KEYWORDS: COMPLIANCE; DELAY; SOUTH AFRICA.
 
  <<Back