Factors contributing to poor compliance with anti-TB treatment among tuberculosis patients

Tuberculosis (TB) has made a comeback. It has become a resurgent public health problem in developing countries in the tropics and is the leading cause of death from any single infectious agent. Non-compliance to anti-tuberculosis treatment is the most serious problem in TB control. A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the determinants of poor compliance with anti-tuberculosis treatment among tuberculosis patients in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia in 1999. A total of 390 patients were included in the study of which 130 were tuberculosis patients who defaulted treatment and 260 were those compliant to treatment. Data collection was done by interviewing the patients and collecting clinical and laboratory data from their medical records. Using multiple logistic regression analysis, patients who were not on direct observed therapy (DOT) lived distant to the health facility, were non-intravenous drug users (IVDU) and were HIV positive had statistically significant higher odds of being non-compliant. Patients should be given treatment under direct supervision with special attention to IVDU and HIV positive groups. Anti-TB treatment should be accessible to patients at the nearest health center from their residence. Interventions with health education programs emphasizing the benefits of treatment compliance should be implemented by further large-scale multi-centered studies.