CHAPTER IV - TREATMENT BEHAVIOUR OF TB PATIENTS <<Back
 
b) Measures to Improve Treatment Adherence
 
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AU : Rajeswari R, Chandrasekaran K, Thiruvalluvan E, Rajaram K, Sudha Ganapathy, Sivasubramanian S, Santha T & Prabhakar R
TI : Study of the feasibility of involving male student volunteers in case holding in an urban tuberculosis programme
SO : INT J TB & LUNG DIS 1997, 1, 573-75
DT : Per
AB :

This paper reports the feasibility of involving unpaid National Service Scheme (NSS) male student volunteers in a city-based TB programme in supplying drugs and retrieving non-compliant TB patients. Twenty five students were selected after assessing their attitude and were trained on TB drug delivery, home visits and motivation of non-compliant patients. Twenty-three sputum positive patients identified in a medical camp were started on an 8-month SCC regimen. Students supplied the drugs on a weekly basis and defaulters were visited. The treatment completion rate was 83% and defaulter retrieval was 57%. All patients had sputum smear conversion by 2 months and one relapsed during the 24-month follow-up.

KEY WORDS: CASE HOLDING; STUDENT VOLUNTEERS; INDIA.
 
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