Determinant of, and Factors Influencing Medication Poor Adherence to Pulmonary Tuberculosis Treatment at The Tuberculosis Clinic of Mettu Karl Referral Hospital, Southwestern, Ethiopia: A Prospective Cross Sectional Study, 2021

Background: Tuberculosis is an infectious bacterial disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which most commonly affects the lungs. Overall, a relatively small proportion (5-15%) of the estimated 2-3 billion people infected with myco bacterium tuberculosis will develop TB disease during their lifetime. Nonadherence to TB treatment has remained a major challenge in Ethiopia.

Objective: To discover determinant of and factors influencing medication poor adherence to pulmonary tuberculosis treatment in TB clinic of Mettu Karl Referral Hospital.

Methods: An Institutional based prospective cross-sectional study design was carried out from April 02/2021 to June 07/2021. Data was collected through employing check list and semi-structured questioner, and then the collected data was cleared, coded, and analyzed by Statistical Packages for Social Sciences 25.0 version statistical software. Variables at P-value < 0.05 in multivariate logistic regression model were considered statistically significant.

Results: The study included 168 TB patients with a response rate of 100%; 86 (51.2%) were females. The overall prevalence of medication poor adherence to pulmonary tuberculosis treatment was 27.4%. Age≥45 years(AOR:2.79;95%CI:2.451-5.337; P=0. 007),rural resident(AOR:2.79;95%CI:2.451-5.337;P=0.004),distance-from health facil ity >5 km(AOR:1.78;95%CI:1.503-2.145;P=0.001),experience of side effects (AO R:2.43;95%CI:1.970-3.153;P=0.017),HIV status negative (AOR:2.95; 95%CI: 2.610- 5.173;P=0.001),and uneducated (AOR:2.74;95%CI:2.430-4.201;P=0.008) were significantly associated with ani-tuberculosis treatment poor adherence.

Conclusion: The prevalence of medication poor adherence to pulmonary tuberculosis treatment was high. Regarding the reason for missing anti-TB medication majority were forgetfulness followed by vomiting and diarrhea and cost of transport.

Keywords: Tuberculosis; Poor Adherence; Associated Factors; TB Clinic; Mettu Karl Referral Hospital; Ethiopia

Abbreviations: TB: Tuberculosis, DOT: Directly Observed Treatment, HBCs: High Burden Countries, HIV/AIDS: Human Immune Virus/Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, MDR-TB: Multi Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis, SSA: Sub-Saharan Africa, XDR-TB: Extensively Drug Resistance tuberculosis