The effect of telephone follow-up and training on treatment adherence in tuberculosis patients and contacts: A randomized controlled study

Background We evaluated the effect of 6 months of regular training, tele-monitoring and daily text message to remind medication intake on treatment adherence in tuberculosis (TB) patients and their contacts. Methods This randomized, controlled study with pre- test and post-test design was conducted with the following groups: TB Intervention, TB control, contacted intervention and contacted control group, a total of 66 patients and 87 contacted people. The data of study were collected with 'Patient and Contact Question Form', Tuberculosis Adherence Determination Questionnaire (TADQ) and 'Morisky 8-Item Adherence to Drug Questionnaire' (MMAS-8). Results TADQ scores of the TB intervention group in the beginning, 1st, 3rd and 6th months were 80.4 (7.9), 117.8 (6.3), 137.7 (7.5), 143.2 (4.5), respectively, and TADQ scores of the TB control group in the beginning, 1st, 3rd and 6th months were 88.1 (7.1), 84.5 (9.8), 75.9 (7.9), 65.2 (9.2), respectively. MMAS-8 scores of the contacted intervention group in the beginning, 1st, 3rd and 6th months were 3.6 (1.3), 5.5 (0.7), 7.2 (0.8) and 7.7 (0.7), and those of the control group were 5.7 (1.4), 4.3 (1.4), 1.8 (1.5) and 0.7 (1.4), respectively. Conclusion As a result of 6 months of regular training, tele-monitoring and daily text message, adherence of the patients to TB treatment increased, and the adherence of the contacted people to the medication increased. Nurses should take an active role in the management of TB, determine the patients who do not use drugs correctly in the early period and apply the required interventions as soon as possible to improve treatment adherence of TB patients and contacts.