Evaluation Of The Intervention Measures' Effects On Improving The Treatment Adherence In Tuberculosis (TB) Infected AIDS Patients

ObjectiveTo analyze the existing problems in AIDS patients with tuberculosis (TB) infection and explore the conditions of the outcome of anti-tuberculosis therapy, and to evaluate the effects of the intervention measures of improving the treatment among subject patients.MethodsThe subjects of this study are TB infected AIDS patients who were registered with TB Dispensaries and ART Institutions in Wolong District of Nanyang City, Henan Province, China. Two study cohorts were established in order to reveal the status quo before analyzing the existing problems.19 patients with TB/HIV infected registered between September 1st,2008 and February 28th, of which 2010 were set as the control group. While treatment compliance intervention measures were enforced with all these 19 subjects, all relevant data were collected, recorded and analyzed before the effects of such measures being evaluated. Those data were compared with data of the observation group, patients registered between 1st January,2007 and 31st August,2008, whose data were retrospectively collected, including onset, diagnosis, anti-tuberculosis and ART treatment implementation, changes of CD4 and general social demographical features etc. The status quo was revealed and current problems analyzed via such comparison between these two cohort groups. All the statistical data were then processed with Chi-square test and t-test, whose level of significance is a=0.05.ResultsCompared with the observation group, the control cohort enforced with treatment adherence intervention measures showed significant difference in terms of finishing the regulated course of treatment, i.e., much better results were shown in the control group than in the observation group.63.16%of patients in control group have been actively cooperating in medication adherence as well as standardized treatment, and they have successfully completed the course of treatment, whereas only 32.42% patients in the observation group achieved the same. The control group is also significantly better than the observation group even in cases of interrupted or intermittent treatments.60.42%of control group died during the treatment, or irregular medication because of poor compliance or stopped treatment due to serious adverse reactions. Such problems only happened in 26.32%of the intervention group.ConclusionWith the improvement of synthetical interventions, the anti-tuberculosis curative effects were greatly improved. Most patients can effectively overcome adverse drug reactions and other negative factors. They completed treatment successfully with significant improvement in their clinical symptoms. These measures have also effectively delayed the death process of TB/HIV patients and prolonged the patient's life, hence improved the quality of their life.