title: Effectiveness of a community-based observation of anti-tuberculosis treatment in Bangalore City, India, 2010-2011.
abstract: METHODS
  The Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme in an urban setting of Bangalore City, India.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare treatment outcomes and smear conversion rates among new smear-positive tuberculosis (TB) patients undergoing treatment administered by community directly observed treatment (DOT) providers with those undergoing treatment administered by institutional DOT providers in Bangalore City in 2010-2011.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cohort study of routine data recorded from treatment cards of TB patients undergoing treatment under the public health services from 1 October 2010 to 30 September 2011.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment records of 1864 new smear-positive TB patients registered during this period were evaluated. Among those evaluated, 604 (32%) had been administered treatment by community DOT providers and the remainder by institutional DOT providers. The treatment success rate in those undergoing community DOT was 93% (n = 564) and that of those undergoing institutional DOT was 75% (n = 951; RR 1.23, 95%CI 1.19-1.28). The sputum smear conversion rate of patients who underwent community DOT was 92% and that of those who underwent institutional DOT was 71% at the end of 2 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that community DOT for treatment supervision of TB patients is more effective than institutional DOT and that it should be reinforced.
authors.affiliation: National Tuberculosis Institute, Bangalore, India.
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Tripathy
authors.affiliation: National Tuberculosis Institute, Bangalore, India.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), South-East Asia Office, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Sagili
authors.affiliation: The Union, Paris, France.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Enarson
keywords: DOT providers; DOTS; community volunteers