SETTING: A South Indian district providing anti-tuberculosis services through the Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP) and private health care facilities. OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the profile of tuberculosis (TB) patients diagnosed and/or treated in private health care facilities. METHODS: Data on TB cases diagnosed and/or treated in all clinical departments of the medical college, 83 nursing homes and RNTCP health care facilities were collected prospectively. RESULTS: About 83% of new TB cases recorded in the private medical college, 47% in nursing homes and 24.5% in RNTCP TB registers were extra-pulmonary. The proportion of retreatment cases was respectively 5.5%, 9.6% and 19.8%. The proportion of males and those in the economically productive age group were similar in the three data sources. About 94% of cases diagnosed in the medical college and 55% in nursing homes were registered for treatment under the RNTCP. About 11% of the smear-positive patients diagnosed in RNTCP were initial defaulters. CONCLUSION: The proportion of extra-pulmonary cases was higher in the medical college and nursing homes and that of retreatment cases was lower than in the RNTCP.
SETTING: A South Indian district providing anti-tuberculosis services through the Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP) and private health care facilities. OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the profile of tuberculosis (TB) patients diagnosed and/or treated in private health care facilities. METHODS: Data on TB cases diagnosed and/or treated in all clinical departments of the medical college, 83 nursing homes and RNTCP health care facilities were collected prospectively. RESULTS: About 83% of new TB cases recorded in the private medical college, 47% in nursing homes and 24.5% in RNTCP TB registers were extra-pulmonary. The proportion of retreatment cases was respectively 5.5%, 9.6% and 19.8%. The proportion of males and those in the economically productive age group were similar in the three data sources. About 94% of cases diagnosed in the medical college and 55% in nursing homes were registered for treatment under the RNTCP. About 11% of the smear-positive patients diagnosed in RNTCP were initial defaulters. CONCLUSION: The proportion of extra-pulmonary cases was higher in the medical college and nursing homes and that of retreatment cases was lower than in the RNTCP.