E F Onyoh1, C Kuaban2, H-H Lin3. 1. Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan, AIDS Care and Prevention Program, Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services. 2. Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Bamenda, Cameroon. 3. Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan.
Abstract
SETTING: Thirty-nine tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment units (DTUs) in the North-West and South-West Regions of Cameroon. OBJECTIVE: To determine the proportion of pre-treatment loss to follow-up (PLTFU) of bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) patients and its risk factors. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study was conducted to retrieve information from the TB laboratory and treatment registers for all bacteriologically confirmed PTB patients diagnosed in the 39 DTUs during the last 6 months of 2015. PLTFU was defined as failure to initiate treatment within 7 days of diagnosis. RESULTS: Among 1174 bacteriologically confirmed PTB cases, the proportion of PLTFU was 16.7% (95%CI 14.7-18.9). In the multivariable logistic regression model, travelling >30 km to the DTU was a risk factor for PLTFU (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.31, 95%CI 1.63-3.27) compared with travelling 30 km. Travelling for >30 min to the DTU (aOR 2.19, 95%CI 1.56-3.09) and an urban location of DTU (aOR 2.51, 95%CI 1.51-4.17) were also significant risk factors for PLTFU. CONCLUSION: PLTFU among TB patients remains a significant issue despite the availability of free anti-tuberculosis treatment in Cameroon. Diagnosed patients should be promptly and carefully linked to a treatment unit for treatment initiation.
SETTING: Thirty-nine tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment units (DTUs) in the North-West and South-West Regions of Cameroon. OBJECTIVE: To determine the proportion of pre-treatment loss to follow-up (PLTFU) of bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) patients and its risk factors. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study was conducted to retrieve information from the TB laboratory and treatment registers for all bacteriologically confirmed PTB patients diagnosed in the 39 DTUs during the last 6 months of 2015. PLTFU was defined as failure to initiate treatment within 7 days of diagnosis. RESULTS: Among 1174 bacteriologically confirmed PTB cases, the proportion of PLTFU was 16.7% (95%CI 14.7-18.9). In the multivariable logistic regression model, travelling >30 km to the DTU was a risk factor for PLTFU (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.31, 95%CI 1.63-3.27) compared with travelling 30 km. Travelling for >30 min to the DTU (aOR 2.19, 95%CI 1.56-3.09) and an urban location of DTU (aOR 2.51, 95%CI 1.51-4.17) were also significant risk factors for PLTFU. CONCLUSION: PLTFU among TBpatients remains a significant issue despite the availability of free anti-tuberculosis treatment in Cameroon. Diagnosed patients should be promptly and carefully linked to a treatment unit for treatment initiation.
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