title: High-compliance tuberculosis treatment programme in a rural community.
abstract: The global tuberculosis epidemic is being fuelled by dual infection with human immunodeficiency virus type I. Short-course chemotherapy is effective but usually fails for operational reasons. A community-based treatment programme of twice-weekly fully-supervised treatment is described in which 89% of surviving patients completed treatment under programme conditions. Half the patients were successfully supervised by non-health workers. New approaches are needed to combat the global tuberculosis epidemic.
authors.affiliation: Hlablsa Hospital, South Africa.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D002648:Child; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012423:Rural Health; D013019:South Africa; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy*