title: Risk factors for non-adherence to directly observed treatment (DOT) in a rural tuberculosis unit, South India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify risk factors for non-adherence of tuberculosis (TB) patients to DOT.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study of TB patients by logistic regression analysis to identify risk factors for non-adherence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 1666 patients interviewed, 1108 (67%) adhered and 558 (33%) did not adhere to DOT. Of 558 patients, the risk factors associated with non-adherence were illiteracy (39%), difficulty in accessing health facility (57%), and non-government DOT centre (43%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients should be educated about tuberculosis and importance of DOT. All DOT centres, including Non-government DOT centres, should be made more accessible and patient-friendly.
authors.affiliation: Tuberculosis Research Centre (ICMR), Mayor V.R. Ramanathan Road, Chetput, Chennai.
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Gopi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vasantha
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muniyandi
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chandrasekaran
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Balasubramanian
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Narayanan
mesh_terms: D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023801:Directly Observed Therapy; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019233:Retreatment; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D019035:Rural Health Services; D012424:Rural Population; D016312:Treatment Refusal; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents