Treatment default and death among tuberculosis patients in Hunan, China

We used the 2005 and 2006 national surveillance data to elucidate some of the risk factors for treatment default and death among tuberculosis (TB) patients in Hunan, China. Risk of default was higher in males (odds ratio (OR) 1.25; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.08, 1.44); lowest in patients aged 15-24 y (OR 0.60; 95% CI 0.49, 0.75), and generally increased with increasing age; lower in patients living in cities with per capita gross domestic product (GDP) of less than 1000 US$ (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.49, 0.72), and increased with increasing per capita GDP of city of residence; and higher in patients with previously treated smear-positive pulmonary TB (diagnostic category II according to the World Health Organization definition; OR 1.99; 95% CI 1.22, 3.23). Risk of death was lowest in patients aged 15-24 y (OR 0.07; 95% CI 0.05, 0.10), and increased with increasing age; lower in new cases (OR 0.50; 95% CI 0.33, 0.76); and highest in patients who treated themselves (OR 3.47; 95% CI 1.27, 9.46). We conclude that male TB patients, elderly TB patients, patients resident in cities with higher per capita GDP, and patients receiving category II treatment need special attention to reduce TB treatment default in the province. Furthermore, elderly TB patients and patients with a long history of TB need special attention to reduce mortality. Self-treatment also needs to be discouraged to reduce mortality.