Home > Research > Publications & Outputs > Health service factors that affect adherence to...

Electronic data

  • PHC1312 Manuscript R1

    Rights statement: This paper is not the copy of record and may not exactly replicate the authoritative document published in the journal.

    Accepted author manuscript, 565 KB, PDF document

    Available under license: CC BY-NC: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

Links

Text available via DOI:

View graph of relations

Health service factors that affect adherence to tuberculosis treatment in Ghana

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

Published
Close
<mark>Journal publication date</mark>23/02/2018
<mark>Journal</mark>Primary Health Care
Issue number2
Volume28
Number of pages7
Pages (from-to)27-33
Publication StatusPublished
<mark>Original language</mark>English

Abstract

Most of the global cases of tuberculosis (TB) are found in Asia and Africa. This is largely due to deficient educational information, myths, beliefs and suboptimal service delivery as a result of inadequate infrastructure. Even though proper treatment can cure TB, bureaucratic difficulties and problems with caring for patients mean procedures to ensure that patients receive and complete treatment may stifle the treatment regimen.

This paper looks at the service factors that affect adherence to TB treatment, while seeking to explore good practices to improve support for patients. It discusses a study that used a qualitative interpretive descriptive design involving interviews across health facilities in one district in Ashanti Region, Ghana. Ten patients were recruited in 2014 and interviewed. They revealed the challenges and facilitators that affected their adherence to their treatment. Three main themes were identified: institutional support, staff attitude and patients’ unmet needs. Staff commitment, proper supervision of TB patients and individualising care encourages adherence, while organisational challenges, poor supervision of patients and unfriendly staff attitudes discourage the continuity of treatment.

Bibliographic note

This paper is not the copy of record and may not exactly replicate the authoritative document published in the journal.