[Study on the risk factors leading to irregularly anti-pulmonary tuberculosis drug taking in patients with smear positive].
OBJECTIVE
To describe the current situation and explore risk factors to irregularly antipulmonary tuberculosis(TB) drugs taking in smear positive TB patients.


METHODS
Four out of the forty counties in Chongqing were randomly sampled according to the levels of social and economic development. Totally, 405 new patients with smear positive tuberculosis were systematically sampled and a household survey was carried out. A multiple logistic regression model was fitted to explore the risk factors to irregularly anti-TB drugs taking.


RESULTS
Of valid 401 cases, 50 (12.47%) did not take their drugs regularly and the top 3 reasons for irregular drugs taking were: (1) Adverse effects; (2)Economic hardship; (3) Stopped taking drugs when symptom disappeared. Results from multiple logistic regression analysis showed that factors as: self-perceived economical burden, awareness on TB before being infected and awareness on the fact that if anti-TB drugs can be stopped if the symptoms disappeared, were statistically significant to irregularly drugs taking.


CONCLUSIONS
Strengthening health education program and alleviation of economical burden might serve as two effective measures for regularly drugs taking among TB patients.
Hu
Dai-yu
DY
Chongqing Tuberculosis Center, Chongqing 400050, China.
Wang
Tao
T
Liu
Xiao-yun
XY
Chen
Jing
J
Wang
Yang
Y
Zeng
Wei
W
Xu
Xiao-fang
XF
D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002681:China; D006801:Humans; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012307:Risk Factors; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000995:Antitubercular Agents