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Open Access Adherence to anti-tuberculosis treatment in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia

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Setting: Tuberculosis (TB) patients in Mekelle Zone, Tigray Region, in Ethiopia.

Objective: To investigate adherence to anti-tuberculosis treatment.

Design: A cross-sectional study in health facilities providing anti-tuberculosis treatment was conducted. Adherence was measured in three ways: through self-reported missed doses, by visual analogue scale whereby patients rate their own adherence and by record review. A patient was considered to be adherent if 90% or more of the prescribed medication was taken.

Result: Of 278 TB patients included, 101 were in the intensive and 177 in the continuation phase. Respectively 67 (24.1%), 130 (46.8%) and 80 (28.8%) patients had smear-positive, smear-negative and extra-pulmonary TB. Self-report of missed doses and record review indicated adherence of respectively 273 (97.3%) and 271 (97.5%) patients. By visual analogue scale, 250 (91.6%) patients rated themselves as adherent. History of drug side effects (aOR 0.25, 95%CI 0.08–0.77) and knowledge about TB prevention (aOR 0.19, 95%CI 0.05–0.8) were independently associated with being adherent in this setting.

Conclusion: Adherence to anti-tuberculosis treatment was high in our study. Adherence support should be given to the poor, the elderly, patients co-infected with the human immunodeficiency virus, alcohol abusers and smokers. Health education on TB prevention should be given to all TB patients regularly.

Keywords: continuation phase; intensive phase; record review; risk factor; visual analogue scale

Document Type: Research Article

Affiliations: 1: Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia 2: Tigray Regional Health Bureau, Mekelle, Ethiopia 3: Mekelle Hospital, Mekelle, Ethiopia 4: Tigray Regional Laboratory, Mekelle, Ethiopia 5: KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation, The Hague, The Netherlands, Department of Global Health, Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Publication date: 21 December 2014

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  • Public Health Action (PHA), The Union's quarterly Open Access journal, welcomes the submission of articles on operational research. It publishes high-quality scientific research on health services, providing new knowledge on how to improve access, equity, quality and efficiency of health systems and services.

    The Editors will consider any manuscript reporting original research on quality improvements, cost-benefit analysis, legislation, training and capacity building, with a focus on all relevant areas of public health (e.g. infection control, nutrition, TB, HIV, vaccines, smoking, COVID-19, microbial resistance, outbreaks etc).

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