Nonadherence to tuberculosis treatment and associated factors among patients using directly observed treatment short-course in north-west Nigeria: A cross-sectional study

INTRODUCTION: Tuberculosis is a public health problem in Nigeria. One of the most effective ways of controlling tuberculosis is the directly observed treatment short-course. However, some factors influence tuberculosis patients’ treatment nonadherence via directly observed treatment short-course. The study objective was to assess medication nonadherence and associated factors among tuberculosis patients in north-west Nigeria. METHODS: A cross-sectional study enrolled tuberculosis patients using directly observed treatment short-course in public health facilities in Kano and Kaduna States from January 2015 to June 2016. The sample selection was conducted via a multistage sampling procedure. Data were collected using tuberculosis patients’ demographic and clinical characteristics forms, well-validated structured instruments, and medical records. SPSS version 20 was used for data analysis. Logistic and multivariable logistic regression analyses to determine factors of medication nonadherence (P < 0.05) RESULTS: Complete responses from 390 patients out of the 460 patients recruited for the study were used for data analyses. The mean age was 51.5 (standard deviation = ±13.8) years. The mean tuberculosis medication adherence questionnaire score was 4.35 ± 1.12. The prevalence of nonadherence to tuberculosis medication was 30.5%. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that having a monthly income between #100,000 and #199, 000 (adjusted odds ratio = 0.01; 95% confidence interval: 0.00–0.13), being widowed (adjusted odds ratio = 26.74, 95% confidence interval: 2.92–232.9), being married (adjusted odds ratio = 120.49, 95% confidence interval: 5.38–271.1), having a distance <5 km to directly observed treatment short-course center from home (adjusted odds ratio = 0.06, 95% confidence interval: 0.00–0.01), having a tuberculosis/HIV co-infection (adjusted odds ratio = 0.01, 95% confidence interval: 0.12–0.35), use of antiretroviral treatment and cotrimoxazole prophylaxis therapy medications (adjusted odds ratio = 24.9, 95% confidence interval: 19.6–304.3) were associated with tuberculosis medication nonadherence. CONCLUSION: Tuberculosis medication nonadherence was high among the patients. Thus, patient-specific adherence education, attenuation of potential factors for tuberculosis medication nonadherence, and continual resource support for tuberculosis patients are needed to improve treatment outcomes.