Abstract:
Tuberculosis is a major threat to the public health of the people and approximately affects more than 10.4 million worldwide. Non adherence with tuberculosis (TB) treatment has apparently been cited as one of the major barrier which has contributed to the wide spread of TB, relapse and multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB) in patients with tuberculosis. Adherence to TB treatment is associated with many factors such socio economic factors, patients related factors and health system related factors. Adherence to TB treatment is important for promoting individual and public health status. Aim of this study: To assess the factors influencing treatment adherence among patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) at three selected sites of Rwanda. Research methodology: A cross sectional study was conducted in TB patient followed in three health settings of Rwanda (Remera Health Center, Kibagabaga and Masaka district hospitals). Purposive total population sampling technique was used to recruit study participants. Ethical consideration: The data from this study were kept confidentially and anonymity was maintained using the codes to questions. The permission to conduct this study was obtained from the respective authorities. Results: From a total of 80 participants analyzed, 67.5% were male and most of them aged between 30 and 39 years with proportion of 43.8% and on education level, 60% of participants attended primary studies, 28.8% were smokers, 23.8% did not know treatment durations of PTB, 80% did not believe in prayers as a motivator for TB treatment adherence. Those who have parents, children and co-workers reminders strongly associated with TB treatment adherence with P value of 0.000, 0.008 and 0.000 respectively. Education on how to take TB medication strongly associated with adherence with P value of 0.000. Overall knowledge score of participants was 62% and adherence score was 68.8%. Conclusion: Generally, the adherence level to anti-TB treatment among TB patients were low because the score was 68.8% which is less than 70% according to visual analogue scale (VAS) used in the study to categorize the responses score. Effort must be made to strengthen DOTs in order to improve TB treatments adherence.
