[Factors related to non-compliance with active tuberculosis treatment in Montreal 1992-1995].

OBJECTIVE

To determine the extent of non-compliance with antituberculosis treatment in Montreal and whether it is influenced by the characteristics of the health care setting.

METHODS

Retrospective medical and public health chart review of tuberculosis patients reported to the Montreal-Centre Department of Public Health between 1992-1995. A non-compliant patient is defined as one who has taken less than 80% of prescribed antituberculosis medication.

RESULTS

Among patients for whom the compliance status was available, 19.8% were non-compliant. In univariate analysis, risk factors significantly associated with non-compliance included: living alone, birth in an endemic country for tuberculosis, side effects related to the medication, and follow-up in a clinic not specialized for tuberculosis. In multivariate analysis, increase of age by one unit (OR: 1.1; 95% CI: 1.02-1.1), and risk factors such as alcoholism (OR: 33.8; 95% CI: 5.8-194.4) and being HIV positive (OR: 8.9; 95% CI: 2.9-26.6) were independently associated with non-compliance.

CONCLUSION

Non-observance seemed to be associated with patients' characteristics rather than health care system characteristics.