SETTING: Private clinics and hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. OBJECTIVES: To assess the knowledge of private practitioners (PPs) with regard to tuberculosis (TB) control and their practice of TB diagnosis, treatment and monitoring. DESIGN: A descriptive survey was conducted among PPs. A total of 120 responded to a self-administered questionnaire. RESULTS: According to 81.5% of the PPs, at least two to five TB cases were diagnosed in their clinic per week. The correct anti-tuberculosis treatment regimens recommended by the National Tuberculosis Programme (NTP) were mentioned by only 9.7% of the doctors, while 63% listed 68 regimens. The majority (41.0%) monitored treatment using chest X-ray (CXR) alone, while 21.0% use CXR in combination with another diagnostic tool. Eighty per cent of the PPs did not keep a TB register, and case holding was non-existent. CONCLUSIONS: PPs in Addis Ababa diagnose a high number of TB cases. However, there is a huge lack of information on anti-tuberculosis treatment. This shows the likely irrational use of the few available anti-tuberculosis drugs, which may favour the emergence and spread of drug resistance.
SETTING: Private clinics and hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. OBJECTIVES: To assess the knowledge of private practitioners (PPs) with regard to tuberculosis (TB) control and their practice of TB diagnosis, treatment and monitoring. DESIGN: A descriptive survey was conducted among PPs. A total of 120 responded to a self-administered questionnaire. RESULTS: According to 81.5% of the PPs, at least two to five TB cases were diagnosed in their clinic per week. The correct anti-tuberculosis treatment regimens recommended by the National Tuberculosis Programme (NTP) were mentioned by only 9.7% of the doctors, while 63% listed 68 regimens. The majority (41.0%) monitored treatment using chest X-ray (CXR) alone, while 21.0% use CXR in combination with another diagnostic tool. Eighty per cent of the PPs did not keep a TB register, and case holding was non-existent. CONCLUSIONS:PPs in Addis Ababa diagnose a high number of TB cases. However, there is a huge lack of information on anti-tuberculosis treatment. This shows the likely irrational use of the few available anti-tuberculosis drugs, which may favour the emergence and spread of drug resistance.
Authors: Gisela Cardoso; Elizabeth Moreira Dos Santos; Yibeltal Kiflie; Kifle Woldemichael; Suzanne Wilson; Wuleta Lemma Journal: Int J Public Health Date: 2016-12-18 Impact factor: 3.380
Authors: Julia V Ershova; Laura Jean Podewils; Liza E Bronner; Heather G Stockwell; Sicelo S Dlamini; Lerole D Mametja Journal: S Afr Med J Date: 2014-03-26
Authors: Steven J Hoffman; G Emmanuel Guindon; John N Lavis; Harkanwal Randhawa; Francisco Becerra-Posada; Masoumeh Dejman; Katayoun Falahat; Hossein Malek-Afzali; Parasurama Ramachandran; Guang Shi; C A K Yesudian Journal: Am J Trop Med Hyg Date: 2016-02-22 Impact factor: 2.345