Direct observation and adherence to tuberculosis treatment in Chongqing, China: a descriptive study.



Hu, Daiyu, Liu, Xiaoyun, Chen, Jing, Wang, Yang, Wang, Tao, Zeng, Wei, Smith, Helen ORCID: 0000-0002-6252-3793 and Garner, Paul ORCID: 0000-0002-0607-6941
(2008) Direct observation and adherence to tuberculosis treatment in Chongqing, China: a descriptive study. Health policy and planning, 23 (1). pp. 43-55.

[img] PDF
Smith_Garner_direct_observation_and_adherence_to_tuberculosis_treatment_in_Chongqing.pdf - Unspecified
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial.

Download (255kB)

Abstract

<h4>Introduction</h4>China has an estimated 5 million people with tuberculosis (TB). Official policy is that treatment of all patients is directly observed by health workers; completion rates are reported to be in excess of 90%, and drugs should be supplied for free. However, some research suggests there is a gap between the official policies and practice.<h4>Methods</h4>Survey of TB patients in four counties of one municipality; record assessment at one TB centre; patient and village doctor in-depth interviews.<h4>Results</h4>Sixteen per cent (64/401) reported being directly observed every time they took treatment; less than 5% of TB patients (17/401) were observed by health staff. Overall, 12.5% (50/401) reported they had not taken any TB drugs in the previous week, but this varied between the four counties (range 6.2 to 21.7%). We used survival analysis with medical records at one centre: 74.1% of new patients collected their drugs for their sixth month of treatment, and 50.3% attended the final visit at 6 months. Qualitative research indicated direct observation is neither well understood nor thought to be necessary, and that patients reported being charged expensive fees for ancillary treatments, such as liver protection drugs.<h4>Conclusion</h4>In China, direct observation is not well implemented and may not be a feasible policy option. Official completion rates are higher than we found in this study. The concept of free treatment has become blurred, with charges for additional tests and drugs, especially liver protection drugs. The government is already actively tackling these issues, and involvement of managers and others in this process will be helpful.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: Please acknowledge the Journal Health Policy and Planning and Oxford University Press as the original place of publication. Citation: Daiyu Hu, Xiaoyun Liu, Jing Chen, Yang Wang, Tao Wang, Wei Zeng, Helen Smith, and Paul Garner Direct observation and adherence to tuberculosis treatment in Chongqing, China: a descriptive study Health Policy Plan. 2008 23: 43-55; doi:10.1093/heapol/czm038
Uncontrolled Keywords: Humans, Tuberculosis, Directly Observed Therapy, Survival Analysis, Patient Compliance, Adolescent, Adult, Middle Aged, Child, Child, Preschool, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Medical Audit, China, Female, Male, Interviews as Topic
Subjects: ?? RA0421 ??
Divisions: Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 18 Aug 2008 15:06
Last Modified: 16 Mar 2024 14:33
DOI: 10.1093/heapol/czm038
Publisher's Statement : © The Author 2008; all rights reserved.
Related URLs:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/477