title: Prevalence and factors associated with tuberculosis treatment outcome among hazardous or harmful alcohol users in public primary health care in South Africa.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tuberculosis (TB) remains a chronic infectious disease with high morbidity and mortality.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and associated factors of tuberculosis treatment failure, death and default among hazardous or harmful alcohol users.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a prospective study with TB patients in 40 public health clinics in three districts in South Africa. All consecutively new tuberculosis and retreatment patients presenting at the 40 primary health care facilities with hazardous or harmful alcohol use were included in this study. Logistic regression was used to assess determinants of TB treatment failure, death and default.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The findings of our study showed that 70% of TB patients were either cured or had completed their TB treatment by the end of 6 months. In multivariate analysis participants living in a shack or traditional housing (Odds Ratio=OR: 0.63, Confidence Interval=CI: 0.45-0.89), being a TB retreatment patient (OR: 1.61, CI: 1.15-2.26) and residing in the eThekwini district (OR: 1.82, CI: 1.27-2.58) were significant predictors of treatment failure, death and default.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high rate of treatment failure, death and default were found in the TB patients. Several factors were identified that can guide interventions for the prevention of treatment failure, death and default.
authors.affiliation: HIV/AIDS, TB and STI (HAST) Research Programme, Human Sciences Research Council, Pretoria and Durban, South Africa ; Department of Psychology, University of Limpopo, Turfloop, South Africa.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Peltzer
authors.affiliation: ASEAN Institute for Health Development, Mahidol University, Salaya, Thailand.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Louw
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D017211:Treatment Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents
keywords: South Africa; Tuberculosis; default; determinants; primary care; treatment failure