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TB Intervention Program Improves Patient Outcomes
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TUESDAY, Jan. 23 (HealthDay News) -- A tuberculosis intervention program improved cure and treatment-completion rates among TB patients in the West African country of Senegal, according to a new study. Poor adherence to TB treatment remains a major problem in worldwide efforts to fight the disease. That''s why it''s important to find new methods of improving access and adherence to TB treatment, according to background information in the article. This study included 778 patients who took part in the intervention program, which included improved communication between health personnel and patients, decentralization of treatment, choice of directly observed therapy supporter by the patient, and reinforcement of supervision activities. A control group of 744 patients received usual care. The study was conducted between June 2003 and January 2005. Treatment was successful for 88 percent (682) of the patients in the intervention group, compared with 76 percent (563) of the patients in the control group. The risk of defaulting from treatment was about 60 percent lower in the intervention group (43 patients or 5.5 percent) than in the control group (125 patients or 16.8 percent), the study found. "Control of TB depends on effective treatment as well as effective strategies to support the process of care from detection of disease through the completion of appropriate treatment," wrote a team led by Dr. Sylla Thiam of the Programme Tuberculose, Dakar, Senegal. "Our results show that the intervention we tested, consisting of a coherent package of sustainable activities targeting altogether health staff, patients, and communities, did improve treatment outcomes. This intervention could now be implemented in a stepwise manner throughout Senegal, and we believe that his approach may be generalized within the context of TB control programs in other resource-poor countries," the study authors added. The findings are published in the Jan. 24/31 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. More information The American Lung Association has more about TB.
Last Updated: Jan. 23, 2007 Copyright © 2007 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved. |