title: An epidemiological study of newly diagnosed sputum positive tuberculosis patients in Dhubri district, Assam, India and the factors influencing their compliance to treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tuberculosis (TB) affects the economically productive age group and has emerged as a disease of significant socio-economic global burden.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to identify epidemiological factors responsible for TB and the clinico-social correlates influencing their compliance.
  
  
  METHODS
  All new smear positive TB (NSP-TB) patients registered in Dhubri District Tuberculosis Center-Tuberculosis Unit during 2007 in Assam were included in this study. The study was performed by interview technique using a pre-tested questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nearly 90.76% of the participants were in the age group of 15-55 years and were predominantly unskilled workers and sole earning member of their family. 83.33% of the patients had symptoms of cough for more than 3 weeks and most of them (98.15%) lived in overcrowded houses. More than half of the patients had X-ray examination as their initial approach to diagnosis. More males (59.18%) than females (40.82%) reported to the health institution within first 6 weeks after the onset of symptom and among them 91.84% were declared cured after completion of therapy and while, only 40% of the patients initiating treatment after 6 weeks of the onset of symptoms were declared cured after completion of therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of NSP-TB cases was more among the illiterate and underprivileged population who needs counseling and motivation for early intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences (SMIMS) and Central Referral Hospital (CRH), Gangtok, Sikkim, India.
authors.forename: Forhad Akhtar
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Zaman
authors.affiliation: BN College, Dhubri, Assam, India.
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sheikh
authors.affiliation: Departments of Zoology, Guwahati University, Guwahati, India.
authors.forename: Kushal Chandra
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Das
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, King Khaled University, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Gaffar Sarwar
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Zaman
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences (SMIMS) and Central Referral Hospital (CRH), Gangtok, Sikkim, India.
authors.forename: Ranabir
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pal
keywords: Defaulter; new smear positive; tuberculosis
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