title: Tuberculosis notifications, characteristics and treatment outcomes: urban vs. rural Solomon Islands, 2000-2011.
abstract: METHODS
  All provincial tuberculosis (TB) management units in the Solomon Islands.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare TB notifications, characteristics and treatment outcomes in urban vs. rural areas.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective descriptive cohort study involving record review and data extraction from provincial TB and laboratory registers and treatment charts from 2000 to 2011.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 4137 TB cases notified, 1364 (33%) were from urban and 3227 (67%) from rural areas. Notification rates per year of study were consistently higher in urban areas (104-150 per 100 000 population) than in rural areas (49-70/100 000). Cases in rural areas were more likely to have smear-negative pulmonary TB and less likely to have extra-pulmonary TB (P < 0.001). TB cases in rural areas were more likely to die from TB than those from urban areas (3.2% vs. 5.9%). In contrast, TB cases in rural areas were less likely to default (2.8% vs. 1.8%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TB notification rates were much higher in urban than in rural areas in the Solomon Islands. Rural patients are more likely to die from the disease but are slightly less likely to default. Further research is required to explore the possibility of under-reporting in rural areas and to improve treatment outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Honiara, Solomon Islands.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Itogo
authors.affiliation: Centre for International Health, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.affiliation: International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Paris, France ; School of Population Health, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bissell
authors.affiliation: International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Paris, France.
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Harries
authors.affiliation: Secretariat of the Pacific Community, Nouméa, New Caledonia.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Viney
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Suva, Fiji.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gounder
keywords: Solomon Islands; rural areas; tuberculosis; urban