EVALUATING PATIENT COMPLIANCE WITH TUBERCULOSIS THERAPY ACROSS RIVERS STATE HEALTHCARE INSTITUTIONS

Tuberculosis (TB) is a very old infectious disease, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The disease affects the lung and it remains one of the most frequent causes of death universally reaching up to 10 million new cases every year. Poor patient compliance in tuberculosis (TB) treatment is considered to be one of the most serious challenges which replicate the reduction of treatment success compliance to tuberculosis treatment across some selected medical institutions in Rivers State, South-south Nigeria between 2010-2020. The study aimed at collecting data and examining some variable retrospectively without manipulating any of the variables. Data were obtained from the State Ministry of Health, Rivers State, covering a total of 525 (100%) healthcare facilities accounting for primary, secondary, tertiary health facilities and an irresistible 191 (36.38%) private healthcare facilities. Data were analyzed using frequency and simple percentage including graphs. Results indicate that compliance to TB treatment in Rivers State is not adequate generally (i.e., it very low). The rate of compliance to TB treatment among the confirmed cases of TB patients was averagely 40.70%. However, the level of compliance differed across each year investigated with the highest compliance rate recorded in 2019 and the lowest in 2010. There was a consistent increase in the compliance rate between 2013 and 2015 with a sharp drop in 2016 which may have explained the reason for the high prevalence of TB in the same year. Men compliance was better than females despite lesser prevalence. The result revealed further that out of 14,988 CC of TB among males, 1,363 (40.70%) complied with treatment while out of 13,073 mean CC of TB among females, 1,188(3.02%) rate of compliance was recorded. It was recommended among others that more comprehensive incentives programme be made available to improve the allure of TB patients for visiting the treatment centres.