Treatment outcome of tuberculosis at Dilla Referral Hospital, Gedeo Zone, southern Ethiopia: A retrospective study

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the major public health problems in Ethiopia. Determining treatment outcome of TB cases could help to understand the effectiveness of TB control efforts. The objective of this study was to assess TB treatment outcome and associated factors and determine the risk factors of death among TB cases who were on Directly Observed Treatment Short course (DOTS). METHODOLOGY: We analyzed a retrospective data for TB cases who were on DOTS at Dilla Referral Hospital from July 2011- June 2016. The study population was TB cases with known HIV status and whose treatment outcome was evaluated at the Hospital. Data were entered, cleaned and analyzed using statistical package SPSS for windows, version 20. RESULT: Out of 899 registered TB cases, 731 included in this analysis. Of these cases, 424 (58.0%) were male and 334 (45.7%) were in the age group of below 25 years. Treatment success rate of TB was 675 (92.3%) and death rate was 18 (2.5%). Treatment outcome showed statistically significant variation by HIV status (P < 0.001). HIV status of the TB cases and pretreatment weight were associated with TB treatment outcome. HIV status of the TB cases was associated with death of the TB cases (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 5.0; CI 95%: 1.8–13.5). CONCLUSION: TB treatment success rate found in this study was high. Patient’s weight and HIV status were associated with treatment outcome. Moreover, HIV status predicted death of TB cases. Cautious treatment follow-up and defaulter tracing mechanisms for TB cases with these risk factors were suggested.