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Medicinal plant use and adherence problems to TB treatment

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BACKGROUND: Good adherence is essential in the treatment of TB. The aim of this study was to describe medication consumption patterns and to assess factors associated with adherence to TB treatment among TB patients in Lomé, Togo.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among TB patients in 10 health structures in Lomé from September 2019 to January 2020. TB patients aged ≥18 years and under treatment for at least 2 months were eligible for this study. Adherence to TB treatment was assessed using the Girerd compliance test.

RESULTS: A total of 195 TB patients (61.5% male) with a median age of 35 years (IQR 27–44) were recruited. TB-HIV coinfection was 11.3%. Polypharmacy (≥5 medications/day) and using medicinal plants were observed in respectively 6.2% and 42.6% of patients. Prevalence of TB treatment adherence problems was 68.2% (95% CI 61.2–74.7). Being <35 years (aOR 2.79; P = 0.005) and taking medicinal plants (aOR 4.31; P < 0.001) were associated with TB treatment adherence problems.

CONCLUSION: Treatment adherence problems, a major obstacle to TB elimination, are highly prevalent in TB patients in Lomé, and were associated with the use of medicinal plants. Reasons for the use of medicinal plants should be documented in order to propose appropriate interventions to reinforce adherence to TB treatment.

Keywords: Togo; adherence to treatment; associated factors; prevalence; tuberculosis

Document Type: Research Article

Affiliations: 1: Département de Santé Publique, Faculté des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Lomé, Lomé, Togo, Centre Africain de Recherche en Epidémiologie et en Santé Publique (CARESP), Lomé, Togo 2: Département de Santé Publique, Faculté des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Lomé, Lomé, Togo, Centre Africain de Recherche en Epidémiologie et en Santé Publique (CARESP), Lomé, Togo 3: Centre Africain de Recherche en Epidémiologie et en Santé Publique (CARESP), Lomé, Togo 4: Département de Médecine et Spécialités médicales, Faculté des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Lomé, Lomé, Togo, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sylvanus-Olympio, Service de Pneumo-Phtisiologie, Lomé, Togo 5: Programme National de Lutte contre la Tuberculose, Ministère de la Santé, de l´Hygiène Publique et de l´Accès Universel aux Soins, Lomé, Togo 6: Département de Santé Publique, Faculté des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Lomé, Lomé, Togo, Centre Africain de Recherche en Epidémiologie et en Santé Publique (CARESP), Lomé, Togo, Bordeaux Population Health Research, Université de Bordeaux, Unité 1219, Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale, Institut de Santé Publique d´Epidémiologie et de Développement, Bordeaux, France

Publication date: September 1, 2022

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