[Reasons for stopping and restarting tuberculosis treatment in Libreville (Gabon)].
Tuberculosis is an important public health problem in Gabon, and the DOTS strategy recommended by the World Health Organisation has not been successfully applied. In 2006, 45% of patients abandoned treatment during the first phase. A pilot cross-sectional study was thus conducted from September 1 to November 30, 2006, at the Nkembo Tuberculosis Centre in Libreville, Gabon. Thirty patients with positive microscopy results who returned after having interrupted treatment completed a standardised questionnaire. They were mainly young men: their mean age was 33 years old and the male/female ratio was 2.7. Reasons for having abandoned treatment were a lack of money to pay for it (43%) and an impression that they had been cured (23%). The motivations for resuming treatment were the return of symptoms (73%). The risk of drug resistance requires that the Gabonese government play a greater role in the fight against tuberculosis.
Département de santé publique, de médecine sociale et du travail, Faculté de médecine, Université des sciences de la santé, BP 4009, Libreville, Gabon. toungmvee@yahoo.fr
Médard Toung
MT
Mvé
Ulrich
U
Bisvigou
Ndeye Coura Diop
NC
Barry
Clément Ella
CE
Ondo
Dieudonné
D
Nkoghe
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005681:Gabon; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010352:Patient Dropouts / Q000523:psychology; D012744:Sex Ratio; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology
D000995:Antitubercular Agents