Under the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP), Tuberculosis services are provided free of charge in India; all diagnosed TB patients are initiated on treatment within 7 days. Initial default is a potentially serious problem, particularly in cases of smear positive patients because they may continue transmitting the disease. This study was conducted to estimate the proportion of new sputum positive pulmonary TB patients who dropped out before initiating treatment, and their reasons for not registering for treatment. A cross-sectional study was carried out at Darjeeling District from July 2011 to April 2012 among 132 initial defaulters. Initial defaulter rate was 23.5%. A majority of the defaulters were 15-29 years old (59.10%); male (70.45%); from rural areas (80.06%); literate (78.79%); employed (86.36%); married (71.97%); non-smokers (77.27%); and had a mean per capita monthly income of Rs 741.40. Age, literacy, employment, marital status, smoking habits, alcohol consumption and pre treatment counseling were associated more among males than females and the differences were statistically significant. Among 'busy with other jobs', 76.19 % of patients were from a rural area, 71.43%were below the mean age, 73.81% had below mean per capita income. Among 'temporary vocational migration', 87.8% of patients were from rural areas, 56.1% were below the mean age, 63.41% had below mean per capita income. Among 'idle at home', 78.57% patients were from rural areas, 60.71% were below mean age, 75% had below mean per capita income. There is a need to convince the tuberculosis patients for initiating and completing treatment.

Background:The treatment outcome “default” under Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP) is a patient who after treatment initiation has interrupted treatment consecutively for more than 2 months.Aims:To assess the timing, characteristics and distribution of the reasons for default with relation to some sociodemographic variables among new sputum-positive (NSP) tuberculosis (TB) patients in Darjeeling District, West Bengal.Settings and Design:A case-control study was conducted in three tuberculosis units (TUs) of Darjeeling from August’2011 to December’2011 among NSP TB patients enrolled for treatment in the TB register from 1st Qtr’09 to 2nd Qtr’10. Patients defaulted from treatment were considered as “cases” and those completed treatment as “controls” (79 cases and 79 controls).Materials and Methods:The enrolled cases and controls were interviewed by the health workers using a predesigned structured pro-forma.Statistical Analysis Used:Logistic regression analysis, odds ratios (OR), adjusted odds ratios (AOR).Results:75% of the default occurred in the intensive phase (IP); 54.24% retrieval action was done within 1 day during IP and 75% within 1 week during continuation phase (CP); cent percent of the documented retrieval actions were undertaken by the contractual TB program staffs. Most commonly cited reasons for default were alcohol consumption (29.11%), adverse effects of drugs (25.32%), and long distance of DOT center (21.52%). In the logistic regression analysis, the factors independently associated were consumption of alcohol, inadequate knowledge about TB, inadequate patient provider interaction, instances of missed doses, adverse reactions of anti-TB drugs, Government Directly Observed Treatment (DOT) provider and smoking.Conclusions:Most defaults occurred in the intensive phase; pre-treatment counseling and initial home visit play very important role in this regard. Proper counseling by health care workers in patient provider meeting is needed.

Background:Delayed diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) is a significant problem both in individual as well as community level. Different studies around globe revealed that these diagnostic delays are attributed to both patient delay and health system-related delay.Aims:This study aims to assess the magnitude of delay in diagnosis and the association with sociodemographic profile among new sputum-positive pulmonary TB patients in Darjeeling district.Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted among 374 TB patients from October 2011 to March 2012 using a predesigned pretested schedule by face-to-face interview.Statistical Analysis:Logistic regression analysis, odds ratios (OR), adjusted ORs.Results:Patient delay, health system delay and total diagnostic delay were 27 days, 20.1 days, and 20.6 days; mean delays were 23.64, 5.71, and 29.46 days, and median delays were 25, 5, and 32 days, respectively. Risk factors associated with patient delay were female gender, rural residence, illiteracy, smoking, alcohol consumption, taking two, or more alternate treatments; for health system delay were female sex, rural residence, time to reach health facility, time spent per visit; and for total diagnostic delay were female sex, alcoholism, and seeking more than two alternate treatment.Conclusions:The risk factors for delay identified may be the subject of future interventions.