SUMMARY

Tuberculosis (TB) is a global public health problem in Nigeria, only 22 countries account for

80% of the TB burden in the world and Nigeria with estimated incidence of 311 cases per

100,000 populations occupies the fifth position among the twenty-two high TB burden countries.

The country uses the World Health Organization recommended directly observed treatment short

course (DOTS) strategy for its control. The DOTS strategy involves daily observation of the

patient swallowing their drug at least in the intensive phase of therapy. The health care workers

have strategic role to ensure accessibility of the services to patients, educate patients on

treatment including duration, prompt detection of patient who miss their daily drugs collection

and undertake tracing of the defaulter. The outcome of TB treatment is proxy indicators for the

assessments of the performance of the programme; poor treatment outcome implies a failing

control program. Adherence of the patients on the long duration of treatment is influenced by the

patient, the programme and the service providers. In plateau state, TB control using the DOTS

strategy started in 2001, the cured and default rates had remained below and above the expected

targets set by the National control programme respectively. There is lack of understanding of the

factors that determine the outcome of treatment in the state; furthermore, no study had been done

in the state on the factors that determine outcome of the TB treatment.

This study explored the factors that affect the outcome of treatment to help the control program

to plan and target intervention to specific problematic areas to improve the cure rates in the state

and to contribute to meeting the national targets for TB control in Nigeria.

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We conducted cross sectional studies, using checklist and structured questionnaires to extract

information on patients’ clinical, socio-demographic characteristics and knowledge on TB and

their association with the outcome of treatment. Self administered questionnaire was used to

extract information from the health workers on their de