Health-related quality of life among tuberculosis patients under Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme in rural and urban Puducherry

Indian J Tuberc. 2017 Jan;64(1):14-19. doi: 10.1016/j.ijtb.2016.11.004. Epub 2016 Dec 16.

Abstract

Background: Globally, tuberculosis (TB) continues to be the major public health problem. Limited research is carried out on the impact of the disease on health-related quality of life (HR-QoL). The study aims to assess the HR-QoL among TB patients during and after Directly Observed Treatment Short-course (DOTS) therapy and to compare the HR-QoL of these patients with matched neighbourhood controls.

Methodology: A community-based longitudinal study was conducted in Ariyankuppam and Bahour communes of Puducherry from January 2014 to April 2015. 92 TB patients registered for DOTS therapy during January-June 2014 were interviewed in their DOTS centres during first visit using the SF-36 questionnaire to assess their HR-QoL. During the second visit, 9 TB patients were lost to follow-up; therefore, a total of 83 patients were interviewed in their houses and, simultaneously, 83 matched neighbourhood controls were interviewed. Non-parametric tests were used to compare the HR-QoL scores. p value <0.05 was considered as statistically significant.

Results: The mean HR-QoL scores had improved among TB patients upon completion of DOTS (80.8±20.3), when compared to HR-QoL scores (48.3±30) during treatment with significant difference. The HR-QoL scores of TB patients after DOTS completion (80.8±20.3) had improved to levels comparable to that of non-TB controls (77.5±29.1) without significant difference.

Conclusion: HR-QoL of patients suffering from TB was low. However, the study provides evidence that DOTS treatment offers a demonstrable improvement of HR-QoL among TB patients almost to the level of general population. The findings can be used in advocating the effectiveness of DOTS in TB control efforts.

Keywords: DOTS; Follow-up; HR-QoL; SF-36; Tuberculosis.

MeSH terms

  • Case-Control Studies
  • Community Health Services / standards*
  • Directly Observed Therapy*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • India
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • National Health Programs
  • Quality of Life*
  • Rural Population
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / prevention & control*
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / psychology
  • Urban Population