Feasibility of involving literate tribal youths in tuberculosis case-finding in a tribal area in Tamil Nadu.
METHODS
Tribal area in South India with a population of 96,000, where the tuberculosis case-finding activity was very poor.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the feasibility of (1) involving literate (who can read and write) tribal youth volunteers for detecting cases of pulmonary tuberculosis (PT) in their respective hamlets; and (2) antituberculosis drug delivery to sputum-positive patients at their homes by village health nurses (VHNs).


METHODS
One volunteer from each of 61 hamlets was selected and trained in the detection of subjects with chest symptoms, sputum collection and transportation to the Primary Health Centre for smear examination. All smear-positive patients were treated with 2RHZ/6TH and the drugs were supplied by VHNs fortnightly at their homes.


RESULTS
During a period of 1 year (1992-93), the total population screened was 9383 persons; of these 5755 were aged 15 years and above. A total of 338 symptomatic subjects were identified; 12 sputum-positive cases were detected and started on treatment. Antituberculosis drugs were supplied by VHNs to patients for the first 9 months of the study and by literate youths for the next 3 months. Spot drug checks revealed that 11 of the 12 patients were regular in drug consumption.


CONCLUSIONS
It is feasible to train literate tribal youth volunteers within a short time to detect subjects with chest symptoms in the community and thereby cases of pulmonary tuberculosis. They can serve as an excellent model for community participation in difficult areas.
Balasubramanian
R
R
Tuberculosis Research Center, Chetput, Madras, India.
Sadacharam
K
K
Selvaraj
R
R
Xavier
T
T
Gopalan
B N
BN
Shanmugam
M
M
Prabhakar
R
R
D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003153:Community Health Services; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006303:Health Services, Indigenous; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D014838:Volunteers / Q000193:education; D000078329:Workforce
D000995:Antitubercular Agents