Reducing treatment default among tuberculosis patients in the Philippines. | USAID Health Care Improvement Portal
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Reducing treatment default among tuberculosis patients in the Philippines.

Author(s): 
Blumenfeld SN | de los Santos M | Teoxon MC | Cruz N | Dizon F
Organization: Quality Assurance Project/URC

Region and Country: Asia, Philippines

Year: 
1999
Language: 
English
Description: 

The reduction of the default rate among patients with tuberculosis (TB) in Metro Manila is presented. An intervention study was performed among 239 patients with TB, aged 12-84 years. All TB service providers were given instructions and practice in the use of flip chart and the patient and health care system contract. Consequently, the patients with systematic pattern of drug collection for at least 10 weeks were counted as compliers. Anyone who began the treatment but did not continue for at least 10 weeks was counted as default of treatment. Results showed that only 220 remained, 144 were male and 76 were female. The difference of the compliance rate between males (78.5%) and females (73.7%) was not significant. The rates of default were ranged from 10% to 31.2%. Thus, this research was conducted to match the two tools designed to improve the compliance rate of TB patients, and a distinct difference emerged. Moreover, the compliance rate in the mid-80s is still acceptable from an epidemiological point of view. The actual copies of Tuberculosis Counseling Cards were also included.