Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Health

Advisor

Naa-Solo Tettey

Abstract

AbstractHIV and TB have merged into a deadly co-epidemic in Namibia. Currently, though, TB and HIV data at the national, regional, and district level might be underreported and insufficient to understand the full burden and outcome rates of TB and HIV. Targeting the TB outcomes rate among TB/HIV-coinfected individuals is an effective strategy for decreasing future TB burden and furthering the gains in the control of both diseases. The objective of this study was: to assess the outcomes of patients registered for anti-TB treatment in //Karas Region which has the largests burden of TB in Namibia. A 5-year retrospective cohort study was used to evaluate successful (cured, treatment completed) and unsuccessful (death, treatment failure, default, and loss to follow-up) TB treatment outcomes. The epidemiological disease triangle framework served as the theoretical foundation. Health facility records were reviewed for 200 TB/HIV-coinfected patients for the period 2016-2020 in the Keetmanshoop Health District of the //Karas Region. The data were analyzed using chi-square and multivariate logistic regression with 95% confidence interval. At 79.5%, treatment success in the Keetmanshoop Health District was below the >90% recommended target set by the World Health Organization. Conclusion, treatment success outcomes were still below the target set by the WHO (>90%). Geographical location, distance to the health facility, unemployment, and adverse TB medication interaction were associated factors to unsuccessful TB outcome. The study promotes social change by providing actionable management strategies and policies to strengthen the control of TB/HIV programs for the prioritization of TB/HIV- coinfected patients at increased risk of experiencing unsuccessful treatment outcome in the Keetmanshoop District.

Download

Share

 
COinS