eprintid: 11901 rev_number: 18 userid: 719 dir: disk0/00/01/19/01 datestamp: 2012-06-29 17:53:02 lastmod: 2016-11-15 13:57:37 status_changed: 2012-06-29 17:53:02 type: thesis_degree metadata_visibility: show contact_email: brigitte.renee.degraaf@gmail.com item_issues_count: 0 eprint_status: archive creators_name: DeGraaf, Brigitte creators_email: brigitte.renee.degraaf@gmail.com title: Community Based Treatment of Tuberculosis in Rural Mozambique ispublished: unpub divisions: sch_gsph_behavioralcommhealthsci full_text_status: public keywords: Tuberculosis, DOTS, Community based, Mozambique, rural, evaluation abstract: Abstract Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious disease commonly occurring in the lungs and is spread through the air usually by coughing. This infectious disease is particularly dangerous for individuals with compromised immune systems, like those with HIV/AIDS. Treatment for pulmonary TB infections is a regimen of multiple antibiotics lasting for at least six months. Objectives: Despite complete coverage of treatment costs for TB patients by the Ministry of Health in Mozambique, incidence of the disease remains a high 174 cases per 100,000. The objective of this project is to evaluate World Relief’s (WR) community based TB directly observed therapy short-course (DOTS) treatment program. Methods: Sixty-four TB treatment program volunteers within the three highest populated districts of the province of Gaza were interviewed and data were collected to identify accurate numbers of current community based DOTS patients per district. The central hospital in each district was also visited to directly acquire patient data and interview TB nurses. Results: Currently a total of 153 TB patients are receiving community-based treatment in the three districts visited. On average, each village has one community based DOTS volunteer, and each volunteer oversees the treatment of up to three patients at a time. These volunteers reported positive community reception to TB prevention education yet felt inadequate with the community based DOTS system of treatment as a whole. Conclusions: Based on the data collected and interviews completed, the community based DOTS program was effective in raising community awareness of TB prevention, as well as educating about TB as an infectious disease and TB treatment. The evaluation also concluded that the program lacked proper training and education maintenance for the volunteers in rural villages. Implications for global health: Much potential exists for the community based DOTS program to successfully reduce TB incidence in Mozambique, particularly if WR is able to implement the necessary changes and improvements in volunteer training to its program in order to maximize its effectiveness in the community. The health problem of TB is of considerable public health significance because of the highly contagious nature of the bacteria. Without substantial steps taken to decrease the number of cases particularly in populations of greater susceptibility, the disease will only spread and mortality will increase. A successful decrease in incidence of TB infections in Mozambique would lead to a longer average life span and increased health in the population overall. date: 2012-06-29 date_type: completed pages: 44 institution: University of Pittsburgh refereed: TRUE etdcommittee_type: committee_chair etdcommittee_type: committee_member etdcommittee_type: committee_member etdcommittee_name: Terry, Martha etdcommittee_name: Nolan, Beth etdcommittee_name: Ojha, Anil etdcommittee_email: materry@pitt.edu etdcommittee_email: nolanbeth@gmail.com etdcommittee_email: ano7@pitt.edu etdcommittee_id: MATERRY etdcommittee_id: etdcommittee_id: ANO7 etd_defense_date: 2012-04-11 etd_approval_date: 2012-06-29 etd_submission_date: 2012-04-19 etd_release_date: 2012-06-29 etd_access_restriction: immediate etd_patent_pending: FALSE assigned_doi: doi:10.5195/pitt.etd.2012.11901 thesis_type: thesis degree: MPH citation: DeGraaf, Brigitte (2012) Community Based Treatment of Tuberculosis in Rural Mozambique. Master's Thesis, University of Pittsburgh. (Unpublished) document_url: http://d-scholarship-dev.library.pitt.edu/11901/1/DeGraaf_Thesis_ETD_2012.pdf