Assessment of Quality of Life Through Patient Counselling and Medication Adherence among Tubercular Patients in Tertiary Care Hospitals

Abstract

Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes TB, and medication adherence is defined as "the extent to which a person follows the agreed-upon advice of a medical practitioner".  Quality of life (QOL) is a patient's assessment of their daily life, while health-related QOL evaluates the impact of a disease or disorder on their health. The study aimed to evaluate patients' QOL while taking anti-tubercular drugs, identify factors contributing to poor medication adherence, and determine the effectiveness of counseling based on age, literate status, medication duration, and comorbidities. A prospective observational study was carried out in tuberculosis department at different healthcare centers. 240 TB patients were studied. Using a pre-designed proforma and a Microsoft Excel worksheet, data was collected and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Patient counselling is a major factor in tuberculosis patients' adherence to anti-tubercular treatment. 178 (82%) tuberculosis patients adhered to counselling, whereas 40 (18%) did not. In the age group of >70 (32.5%) and 70-80 (23%), non-adherence is higher. Males 23 (57%) adhere more than females 17 (43%).The characteristics of study population revealed that male patients (41-60) with hypertension were more likely to be non-adherent. Maximum 30% of non-adherence was due to patient feeling unneeded and 25% to forgetfulness. Age, gender, education, and case type were identified. Future researches are needed to confirm the reasons.