title: Postpartum follow-up of a positive purified protein derivative (PPD) among an indigent population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was undertaken to investigate the rates and predictors of follow-up and treatment for postpartum patients with a positive purified protein derivative (PPD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study of all women delivered at San Francisco General Hospital in 2000. All patients with a positive PPD were identified and their demographic and PPD follow-up and treatment data were collected and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 1331 patients delivered, the prevalence of a positive PPD was 32% (n = 425). Of the 393 patients who had not been previously treated, 42% (n = 167) attended a follow-up visit with 42% of these (n = 71) actually completing 6 months of therapy. Among different ethnicities, Asian patients were more likely to follow-up at a rate of 52% (P = .03). Patients who received care from the same physician both antepartum and postpartum were more likely to attend and complete therapy at rates of 67% (P < .001) and 62% (P = .01), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found that despite the opportunity given by the interaction with the medical system during pregnancy, only 18% of patients with a positive PPD actually completed therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
authors.forename: Carolyn A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: Aaron B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Caughey
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jasmer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014373:Tuberculin; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D014373:Tuberculin