[Compliance with tuberculosis treatment in Hualien aborigines]

We studied the treatment outcome and compliance in 93 Hualien aborigines patients with pulmonary tuberculosis registered from November 1990 to December 1993. There were 60 men and 33 women with a mean age of 42 years (range, 14-91 Years). There was no difference in age distribution between men and women. Antituberculosis (anti-TB) chemotherapy consisted of isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide and ethambutol for 2 months followed by isoniazid, rifampin, and ethambutol for 4 months. Anti-TB treatment was completed by 68 (73.1%) patients within 9 months while the other 25 Patients (26.9%) failed to complete their medication. It was found that single patients (unmarried, divorced, widowed), those with a low tuberculosis recognition score, and alcohol consumers had a higher chance of non-compliance and hence lower chance of completing treatment. Other factors such as sex, age, race, education, occupation, family Apgar score, associated diseases, side effects of anti-TB drugs, complicity of taking drugs, and treatment in general hospital/clinic or in Public health TB clinic did not significantly contribute to treatment failure.