Treatment Outcome and Determinant Factors of Tuberculosis among Patients Treated at Bule Hora University Teaching Hospital, West Guji zone, southern Ethiopia

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease transmitted as an airborne disease. TB is still treatable even though it produces bacteria that are difficult to eradicate.. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment are two clinical strategies recommended to prevent TB from spreading. OBJECTIVE: To determine trends in tuberculosis treatment outcomes and determinant factors among patients treated at Bule Hora University Teaching Hospital from January 2020 to December 2022. METHOD: An institutional-based retrospective cohort study was conducted at Bule Hora University Teaching Hospital to determine the treatment outcome among all patients treated for tuberculosis. The TB treatment register found at the TB clinic was reviewed to collect three-year treatment data on TB patients. The collected data consisted of demographic and clinical data comprising treatment outcomes. The data were entered and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used for determinant analysis. The declaration of statistical significance was a P value less than 0.05. RESULT: The overall treatment success rate was 94.3% CI; 95% [90.9-97.8] of this half of the TB patients had cured their treatment, and 44.3% patients completed treatment. Of the unsuccessful treatment outcomes, 1.1% were failed treatment, 1.7% were lost to follow-up, and 2.9% died during the follow-up. Urban dwellers (AOR: 1.73; 95% CI: 1.02-2.68; P = 0.041) and HIV-negative individuals (AOR: 1.51; 95% CI: 0.95-4.90; P = 0.002) were determinants of successful TB treatment outcomes. The trend in the treatment success rate fluctuated, increasing from 2020 to 2021 and then slightly decreasing in 2022, while the death rate decreased from 2020 to 2022. CONCLUSION: The current treatment success rate exceeds the recommended target. However, special attention and strict follow-up are required for tuberculosis patients with a high risk of unsuccessful treatment outcomes, including rural residents and HIV status-positive patients, throughout their treatment period.