Abstract

A study was carried out at Ruharo Mission Hospital, MbararaDistrict to identify the factors affecting treatment compliance among TB/HIV co-infected patients. A descriptive design was employed and 30 (thirty) respondents were selected for the study using a stratified and convenient sampling procedure. Data was collected using a questionnaire. This study found out that respondents faced various social-economic factors affecting treatment compliance among TB/HIV co-infected patients. For instance, most respondents 20 (67%) didn't have an anti-TB treatment partner, 20 (67%) sometimes felt like not taking anti-TB drugs due to 10 (50%) medication fatigue and taking too many tablets, 6 (30%) feared the side effects of the medication and 4 (20%) did not notice much change which was not surprising as most 20 (67%) were required to take more than 4 tablets daily and 12 (40%) were required to take TB drugs for more than 7 months. However, 20 (67%) physical difficulties in opening medicine containers, handling small tablets and swallowing difficulties as well as 30 (100%) TB costs were not among the social-economic factors affecting treatment compliance among TB/HIV co-infected patients. The findings show that respondents faced various health facility factors affecting adherence to anti-TB drugs among TB/HIV co-infected patients and although most respondents 18 (60%) had ever been taught how to take anti-TB drugs, factors such as 15 (50%) long-distance moved to collect medication, 20 (66.7%) unavailability or shortage of health workers, 30 (100%) unavailability or shortage of drugs hinders, 20 (66.7%) long waiting time to receive services/drugs, 18 (60%) feared being discriminated by the community or health workers as well as 20 (66.7%) lacked confidentiality and privacy in TB services all affected adherence to anti TB drugs among TB/HIV co-infected patients. In conclusion, the study findings revealed that TB/HIV co-infected patients faced various socio-economic and health facility factors which affected treatment compliance.