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Directly Observed Therapy for Tuberculosis in Rural South Africa, 1991 through 1994.
- Source :
-
American Journal of Public Health . Aug1996 Part 1 of 2, Vol. 86 Issue 8, p1094-1097. 4p. 2 Charts. - Publication Year :
- 1996
-
Abstract
- Objectives. This paper describes an audit of a community-based tuberculosis treatment program involving directly observed therapy in South Africa. Methods. A program audit of 2473 consecutive tuberculosis patients in Hlabisa Health District, KwaZulu/Natal, South Africa, was conducted between 1991 and 1994. Results. Monthly admissions increased from 34 per month in 1991 to 66 in 1994. Of 2186 patients managed in Hlabisa, 1903 (87%) received directly observed therapy. Of those receiving directly observed therapy, 1034 (55%) were supervised by volunteers; 743 (72%) of these were supervised by storekeepers. Among those patients managed locally, 1679 (85%) of 1967 surviving patients completed treatment. Completion rates for patients supervised by health workers and non-health workers were the same. Completion fell from a high of 90% in 1992 to 78% in 1994. Mortality increased from 5% in 1991 to 10% in 1994. Conclusion. Community-based directly observed therapy that uses an intermittent drug regime and volunteers as supervisors can achieve high treatment completion rates for tuberculosis, even in resource-poor settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- *TUBERCULOSIS
*PUBLIC health
*COMMUNITY health services
*COMMUNICABLE diseases
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00900036
- Volume :
- 86
- Issue :
- 8
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- American Journal of Public Health
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 9608296814
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.86.8_Pt_1.1094