A retrospective study of "Non-compliant" patients in controlled clinical trials of short course chemotherapy.

Mohanarani Suhadev; Sudha Ganapathy; Sivasubramanian, S.; Santha Devi, T.

Indian Journal of Tuberculosis; 1995; 42; 221-224.

In a total of 2,332 pulmonary tuberculosis patients admitted to 3 different short-course chemotherapy studies conducted during 1975-1985, there were 60 "non-compliant" patients who had received less than 75% of the prescribed treatment. A retrospective study was undertaken to find out the reasons for default in these patients since the Tuberculosis Research Centre has very stringent criteria of selection of patients for their studies, an adequate system of motivation of the patients and well organised infrastructure for retrieval of the defaulters.

         Unwillingness for treatment was stated as the reason for default by 20 patients and adverse reactions to the drugs by 16 patients. Other major reasons given were pressure of work (14 patients), frequent outstation visits (13) and migration (12).

Back to List of publications / Home