Forhad Akhtar Zaman1, Samuel Sheikh2, Kushal Chandra Das3, Gaffar Sarwar Zaman4, Ranabir Pal1
1 Department of Community Medicine, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences (SMIMS) and Central Referral Hospital (CRH), Gangtok, Sikkim, India
2 BN College, Dhubri, Assam, India
3 Departments of Zoology, Guwahati University, Guwahati, India
4 Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, King Khaled University, Abha, Saudi Arabia

DOI: 10.4103/0976-9668.136213

ABSTRACT    

Context: Tuberculosis (TB) affects the economically productive age group and has emerged as a disease of significant socio-economic global burden. Aims: The aim of this study is to identify epidemiological factors responsible for TB and the clinico-social correlates influencing their compliance. Subjects and Methods: All new smear positive TB (NSP-TB) patients registered in Dhubri District Tuberculosis Center-Tuberculosis Unit during 2007 in Assam were included in this study. The study was performed by interview technique using a pre-tested questionnaire. Results: Nearly 90.76% of the participants were in the age group of 15-55 years and were predominantly unskilled workers and sole earning member of their family. 83.33% of the patients had symptoms of cough for more than 3 weeks and most of them (98.15%) lived in overcrowded houses. More than half of the patients had X-ray examination as their initial approach to diagnosis. More males (59.18%) than females (40.82%) reported to the health institution within first 6 weeks after the onset of symptom and among them 91.84% were declared cured after completion of therapy and while, only 40% of the patients initiating treatment after 6 weeks of the onset of symptoms were declared cured after completion of therapy. Conclusions: The prevalence of NSP-TB cases was more among the illiterate and underprivileged population who needs counseling and motivation for early intervention.

Keywords: Defaulter, new smear positive, tuberculosis

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