Social Support, Quality of Care, and Patient Adherence to Tuberculosis Treatment in Peru: The Mediating Role of Nurse Health Education

BACKGROUND: Peru is one of the countries with the highest burden of tuberculosis (TB) and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in the Latin American region and globally. Health education provided by nurses reinforces social support and the quality of patient care allows a greater impact on adherence to TB treatment. PURPOSE: This study evaluated the mediating effect of treatment education between social support, quality of care, and treatment adherence in TB patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out considering 162 adult TB patients from four health centers of the public sector located in the center of the city of Lima, Peru. Data were collected on variables, such as social support, quality of care, health education, and adherence to TB treatment. SmartPLS was used for data analysis. RESULTS: The results showed that social support and quality of care significantly influence health education. Likewise, health education mediates social support and quality of care for better adherence to treatment. CONCLUSION: It is recommended that hospitals take initiatives to provide better health education on TB treatment to ensure better adherence to treatment.