Background The stigma of tuberculosis (TB) poses a significant challenge to TB control because it leads to delayed diagnosis and non-adherence. However, few studies on TB-related stigma have been completed in China. The aim of the current study was to explore the status of TB-related stigma and its associated predictive factors among TB patients in Dalian, Northeast China. Methods An institution-based, cross-sectional survey was conducted among outpatients at Dalian Tuberculosis Hospital in Liaoning Province, Northeast China. Data were collected by using a questionnaire that measured TB-related stigma, treatment status, anxiety, social support, doctor-patient communication and so on. A multiple linear regression model was used to determine the predictors of TB-related stigma. Results A total of 601 eligible participants were recruited. The mean score for TB-related stigma was 9.07, and the median score was 10. The average scores for anxiety, social support and doctor-patient communication were 4.03, 25.41 and 17.17, respectively. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that patients who were female (β = 1.19, 95% CI: 0.38–2.01, P < 0.05), had self-assessed moderate or severe disease (β = 1.08, 95% CI: 0.12–2.03 and β = 1.36, 95% CI: 0.03–2.70, respectively, P < 0.05), and had anxiety (β = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.30–0.46, P < 0.001) were more likely to have a greater level of TB-related stigma than their counterparts. However, a significantly lower level of TB-related stigma was observed in patients with good social support (β = − 0.25, 95% CI: − 0.33--0.17, P < 0.001) and doctor-patient communication (β = − 0.14, 95% CI: − 0.29--0.00, P < 0.05). Conclusions This study showed that stigma among TB patients was high. Targeted attention should be paid to female patients and patients with moderate or severe disease in TB stigma-related interventions. Moreover, the important role of social support and doctor-patient communication in reducing TB-related stigma should also be emphasized.

The complex relationships among social support, experienced stigma, psychological distress, and quality of life (QOL) among tuberculosis (TB) patients are insufficiently understood. The purpose of this study was to explore the interrelationships among social support, experienced stigma, psychological distress, and QOL and to examine whether experienced stigma and psychological distress play a mediating role. A cross-sectional survey was conducted between November 2020 and March 2021 in Dalian, Liaoning Province, Northeast China. Data were obtained from 473 TB patients using a structured questionnaire. Structural equation modelling was used to examine the hypothetical model. The research model provided a good fit to the measured data. All research hypotheses were supported: (1) social support, experienced stigma and psychological distress were associated with QOL; (2) experienced stigma fully mediated the effect of social support on psychological distress; (3) psychological distress fully mediated the effect of experienced stigma on QOL; and (4) experienced stigma and psychological distress were sequential mediators between social support and QOL. This study elucidated the pathways linking social support, experienced stigma, and psychological distress to QOL and provides an empirical basis for improving the QOL of TB patients.

Doctor–patient trust is not strong in China, but studies examining this factor remain insufficient. The present study aimed to explore the effect of doctor–patient communication, medical service quality, and service satisfaction on patient trust in doctors. Five hundred sixty-four patients with tuberculosis participated in this cross-sectional study in Dalian, China. They completed questionnaires assessing socio-demographic characteristics, doctor–patient communication, medical service quality, service satisfaction and patient trust in medical staff. A structural equation model was applied to examine the hypotheses, and all the study hypotheses were supported: (1) doctor–patient communication, medical service quality and service satisfaction were positively associated with building doctor–patient trust; (2) service quality positively mediated the relationship between doctor–patient communication and trust; (3) medical service satisfaction positively mediated the relationship between doctor–patient communication and trust; (4) medical service satisfaction positively mediated the relationship between medical service quality and doctor–patient trust; and (5) medical service quality and service satisfaction were the positively sequential mediators between communication and doctor–patient trust. Based on these findings, improvements in doctor–patient communication, medical service quality, and service satisfaction are the important issues contributing to the rebuilding of doctor–patient trust in medical service delivery.

Purpose: Medication adherence is crucial for decreasing the burden of tuberculosis, but few relevant studies have been conducted in northeast China. This study aimed to explore the level of medication adherence among pulmonary tuberculosis outpatients and the predictive factors based on the bio-psycho-social medical model. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional multi-center survey was conducted in four tuberculosis medical institutions in Dalian, northeast China. Medication adherence was measured using the eight-item Chinese version of the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale, which divides adherence into three levels. The independent variables consisted of sociodemographic characteristics, treatment factors, knowledge about TB, mental health, and behavioral characteristics. Descriptive statistics, the chi-square test, and multivariate ordinal logistic regression were applied to analyze the data using Stata/MP 14.0. Results: Among the 564 eligible participants, 236 (41.84%) and 183 (32.45%) exhibited high and medium medication adherence, respectively, but 145 (25.71%) exhibited low medication adherence. Multivariate ordinal logistic regression showed that patients who were older (OR: 1.02, p=0.013) were employed (OR: 1.61, p=0.011), had better tuberculosis knowledge (OR: 1.34, p<0.001), and did not consume alcohol (OR: 1.84, p=0.032) exhibited higher medication adherence. However, patients who did not follow their doctors' advice to take adjuvant drugs (OR: 0.44, p=0.001), had a history of TB treatment (OR: 1.76, p=0.009), experienced adverse drug reactions (OR: 0.65, p=0.017), experienced stigma (OR: 0.67, p=0.032), and needed supervised treatment (OR: 0.66, p=0.012) exhibited lower medication adherence. Conclusion: Tuberculosis patients' medication adherence was not very high and it was influenced by diverse and complex factors involving sociodemographic characteristics, treatment factors, knowledge about TB, mental health, and behavioral characteristics.

Background: Non-adherence to tuberculosis (TB) treatment is the most important cause of poor TB outcomes, and improving support for TB patients is a primary priority for governments, but there has been little research on the effects of family, social and national policy support factors on TB treatment adherence. The current study evaluated treatment adherence among newly diagnosed TB patients in Dalian, northeastern China, and determined the effects of family, society, and national policy support factors on treatment adherence. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among newly diagnosed TB patients treated at the outpatient department of Dalian Tuberculosis Hospital from September 2019 to January 2020. Data were collected using a questionnaire that measured medication adherence, family support, social support, and national policy support and so on. Differences between groups were assessed using Chi-square tests and Fisher's exact tests. Ordinal logistic regression analysis was used to determine the predictors of adherence. Results: A total of 481 newly diagnosed TB patients were recruited, of whom 45.7% had good adherence, and 27.4 and 26.8% had moderate and low adherence, respectively. Patients who had family members who frequently supervised medication (OR:0.34, 95% CI:0.16-0.70), family members who often provided spiritual encouragement (OR:0.13, 95% CI:0.02-0.72), a good doctor-patient relationship (OR:0.61, 95% CI:0.40-0.93), more TB-related knowledge (OR:0.49, 95% CI:0.33-0.72) and a high need for TB treatment policy support (OR:0.38, 95% CI:0.22-0.66) had satisfactory medication adherence. However, patients who had a college degree or higher (OR:1.69, 95% CI: 1.04-2.74) and who suffered adverse drug reactions (OR:1.45, 95% CI:1.00-2.11) were more likely to have lower adherence. Conclusions: Our findings suggested that non-adherence was high in newly diagnosed TB patients. Patients who had family members who frequently supervised medication and provided spiritual encouragement and a good doctor-patient relationship and TB-related knowledge and a high need for policy support contributed to high adherence. It is recommended to strengthen medical staff training and patient and family health education and to increase financial support for improving adherence.