Factors Affecting Tuberculosis Case Detection in Kwahu East District of the Eastern Region, Ghana - A Health Facility-Based Cross-Sectional Study among TB Patients

Abstract

Introduction:Tuberculosis is ranked the second cause of mortalities in the world only behind the deadly COVID-19. The disease is very communicable especially in poorly ventilated environments and crowded places. High risk of transmission from patients to health workers and then to the general population has been a great worry for the tuberculosis control programme worldwide. While great efforts has been made to improve case detection and improve treatment outcomes using DOTS most districts in Africa still fall below the expected target. This study explored factors affecting TB case detection in Kwahu East District of the Eastern Region of Ghana. Methodology:A cross-sectional study involving 138 tuberculosis patients on treatment was used. A nonprobability sampling method (i.e., convenient sampling technique) was employed to study the TB patients due to the availability of the participants at the various treatment centres. A structured questionnaire was used to interview participants and the results analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. Data was presented in tables and figures in the form of descriptive statistics. Results:The result revealed that100 were males (72.46%) and 38 (27.54%) were females. The level of knowledge was above average (52.9%) among the TB patients. Majority of the TB patients reported to have suffered one form of stigmatization (weighted stigma score is 3.0). While the health facility remained the most reliable place for TB care most, TB cases reported they rather sought treatment from Prayer Camp (44.2%) as the number one choice. Reasons for choice of treatment place were distance (41.3%), cost (33.3%), belief of effective treatment outcome (10.1%) and shortage of medications (28.3%). Conclusion:In conclusion, the study revealed that knowledge about TB was above average. However, factors such as stigmatization, poor accessibility and shortage of medications affect TB case detection in the district. Conscious efforts should therefore be made to improve access, regular supply of medications and reduce stigmatization in the community and health facilities.

Long-term survival experience of tuberculosis patients in a rural district of Ghana

“…Tuberculosis (TB) remains a global public health concern and the leading cause of mortality from a single infectious agent surpassing acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) despite being curable with antimicrobial drugs [1]. Until the emergence of COVID-19, TB was the number one cause of death from an infectious disease [2,3]. TB accounted for an estimated 1.6 million deaths and over 10.6 million new infections globally in 2021, with Africa accounting for approximately 25% of the cases [4].…”