The study investigated the family background and other socio-economic factors in TB patients as well as the personality pattern and frequency of depression among them. The sample was drawn from the out-patients' clinic of TB and Chest Diseases, S.R.N. Hospital, Allahabad, during February-March 1978 and was restricted only to proven cases of pulmonary TB. A control group of an equal number of cases undergoing treatment for long-term fever of any etiology except TB, was selected from those admitted in the same hospital, after matching age, sex and economic status. First, detailed information concerning the family background and behavior pattern was obtained through a semi-structured interview. Subsequently, the subjects were administered the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (1966). Depression was observed in 32 of the experimental subjects in comparison to 7 of controls. Test results also indicated significantly high scores on the Hamilton Rating Scale for depression among experimental subjects.

A prospective study was carried out to assess the impact of extra motivational efforts on the duration of unbroken drug-continuity in a cohort of 150 randomly selected TB patients undergoing anti-TB unsupervised domiciliary treatment at S.R.N. Hospital, M.L.N. Medical College, Alahabad. The contribution of extra-motivational efforts along with that of some other socio-economic characteristics of the patients, was obtained by the use of multiple regression analysis. It revealed that if monthly additional efforts of extra-motivation are made, devoting 15-20 minutes only in terms of explaining to the patient about the necessity and importance of regular and complete treatment, the average duration of unbroken treatment of a group of patients can be increased by as much as two months, a substantial gain from both curative as well as preventive aspects of any TB control programme.