Tuberculosis Treatment Adherence of Patients in Kosovo

Abstract

Setting The poor patient adherence in tuberculosis (TB) treatment is considered to be one of the most serious challenges which reflect the decrease of treatment success and emerging of the Multidrug Resistance-TB (MDR-TB). To our knowledge, the data about patients' adherence to anti-TB treatment in our country are missing. Objective This study was aimed to investigate the anti-TB treatment adherence rate and to identify factors related to eventual nonadherence among Kosovo TB patients. Design This study was conducted during 12 months, and the survey was a descriptive study using the standardized questionnaires with total 324 patients. Results The overall nonadherence for TB patient cohort was 14.5%, 95% CI (0.109–0.188). Age and place of residence are shown to have an effect on treatment adherence. Moreover, the knowledge of the treatment prognosis, daily dosage, side effects, and length of treatment also play a role. This was also reflected in knowledge regarding compliance with regular administration of TB drugs, satisfaction with the treatment, interruption of TB therapy, and the professional monitoring in the administration of TB drugs. Conclusion The level of nonadherence TB treatment in Kosovar patients is not satisfying, and more health care worker's commitments need to be addressed for improvement.

Non-adherence to anti-tuberculosis treatment, reasons and associated factors among TB patients attending at Gondar town health centers, Northwest Ethiopia

“…However, it is higher than studies done in North Gondar Zone- Northwest Ethiopia (10% and 13.6%) [ 16 ], Khartoum state, Sudan (14%) [ 18 ], State of Parana (8.5% %) [ 19 ], Kosovo (14.5%) [ 6 ], and Thailand (15.6%) [ 8 ]. This difference might be due to differences in socio-demographic characteristic, sample size, study designs, settings and time difference.…”

“…The main risk factors for developing active TB case are human immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV) infection, low socioeconomic status/poverty, alcoholism, homelessness, crowded living condition, diseases that weaken the immune system, migration from country with high number of cases, and health-care workers [ 4 ]. Tuberculosis non-adherence is the major challenge in TB treatment which leads multidrug as well as extended drug-resistant TB [ 5 , 6 ]. Combating non-adherence is the key and cornerstone of anti TB treatment.…”

Tuberculosis drug safety and pharmacovigilance in health system of Kosova: A cross‐sectional analysis

“…shows that TB remains a threatening socio-epidemiological disease in our country; thus, the DOTS strategy needs to be strengthened. 16 Urban registered patients were more common than rural patients (66.67 vs 33.33%), and the greatest difference was observed in the inpatient and outpatient groups (68.60% vs 31.40% and 65.34% vs 34.66%, respectively).…”

Graduation of pathomorphological changes of the spleen of Pheasants with tuberculosis

“…Актуальність теми. В етіологічному профілі інфекційних захворювань людей за своєю здатністю причиняти загибель організму лідирують мікобактерії туберкульозу (Eskild et al, 2019;Tiberi et al, 2018;Krasniqi et al, 2017;Moore, 2016).…”