Determinants of weight gain among adult tuberculosis patients on dots during intensive phase in Wonago Ethiopia,...

Weight gain during tuberculosis treatment is an important marker of the restoration of health. The relationship between change in weight among patients during anti-TB treatment in the intensive phase of follow-up and factors has not been well documented in Ethiopia, particularly in the southern Gedeo zone, despite the high burden of TB in the zone. Therefore, this study investigates the determined variables related to weight gain among adults of tuberculosis patients during the intensive phase in the Wonago District public health facility.

A Health Institutional-based, unmatched case-control study was conducted from December 1, 2023, to March 30, 2024, among all adult tuberculosis patients who were under follow-up in the Tuberculosis Unit of Wonago District Public Health Facilities. A non-probability convenience sampling method was employed to include participants. A total of 258 tuberculosis patients were included (86 cases and 172 controls). Both Case and Control were selected consecutively with proportional allocation and used all public health facilities in the Wonago District. In order to investigate determinants of weight gain, both bivariate and multivariable analyses were used. Those variables' p-values of less than or equal to 0.25 in the bivariate were selected as candidate variables for multivariable logistic regression analysis. The adjusted odds ratio (AOR) along with a 95% confidence interval was estimated to assess the strength of the association, and a P value < 0.05 was considered to declare statistical significance in the multivariable analysis in this study.

Duration of illness [(AOR 2.0, 95% CI (1.10-4.01)], Types of TB [AOR 6.6, 95% CI (2.24-19.62)], Adherence during the intensive phase partially [AOR 7.4, 95% CI (3.08-18.20)], Material support from family [AOR 4.2, 95% CI (1.32-13.77)], [AOR 0.44, 95% CI (0.24-0.88)] were independently associated with weight gain.

Duration of illness, Types of TB, Adherence during intensive, Material support from family and Alcohol consumption were determinants of weight gain on TB patients.