Psychological profile of multi drug resistance TB patients: A qualitative study from a Tertiary care Centre of Kolkata

INTRODUCTION: There has been a new challenge to the already existing threat of tuberculosis (TB) and that is drug resistance TB (DR-TB). The causal relationships between mental disorders and TB are complicated and relatively unexplored. For this reason a qualitative study was done on DR-TB patients attending R G Kar Medical College. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study population consisted of the patients who are registered for the DR-TB regimen are followed up four times with General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). Those scoring poorly were sent for expert evaluation by psychologist, who counselled them, and followed them up after in-depth interviews. These records of in-depth interview were analysed as qualitative research inputs. RESULTS: In our study out of 165 patients, (4.8%) needed interventions. The domains emerging from the study are worried about future and as well as family, disbelief about the diagnosis, embarrassment regarding the diagnosis, fear of death, blaming fate for the disease, stigma, suicidal ideation. CONCLUSION: This study finds out the important domains of psychogical problems among the patients and also advocates a psychologist to remain at DR-TB centres.