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Compliance with anti-tuberculosis preventive therapy among 6-year-old children
G Alperstein1, K R Morgan, K Mills
1Central Sydney Community Health Services, Camperdown, New South Wales.
Insights
Tuberculosis preventive therapy compliance in Australian children is suboptimal, with only 70.5% completing the 6-month course. Further strategies are needed to improve adherence to anti-tuberculosis treatments for pediatric populations.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
- Pharmaceutical Adherence
Background:
- Limited data exist on anti-tuberculosis preventive therapy compliance in Australian children.
- Pediatric tuberculosis infection requires effective preventive therapy to reduce transmission and disease progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the compliance rate with a 6-month course of anti-tuberculosis preventive therapy among 6-year-old children in Australia.
- To identify potential barriers to adherence in pediatric populations.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study involving 78 children aged 6 years prescribed anti-tuberculosis preventive therapy.
- Compliance assessed via parental questionnaires, hospital visit attendance records, and pharmacy dispensing data for isoniazid.
Main Results:
- Parent-reported completion rate for the 6-month therapy was 70.5% (55 children).
- Of those completing, 91% reported missing less than one tablet weekly.
- In a subsample, only 59% attended all follow-up visits, and 54% collected all prescribed isoniazid.
Conclusions:
- Compliance with anti-tuberculosis preventive therapy in this pediatric cohort is suboptimal.
- Current methods for measuring compliance may require enhancement.
- Strategies to optimize adherence to pediatric tuberculosis preventive therapy are necessary.
Abstract:
There are no published data regarding compliance with anti-tuberculosis preventive therapy among children in Australia and limited published data worldwide. This study aimed to determine the compliance rate among 6-year-old children prescribed preventive therapy for tuberculosis infection. A prospective cohort study was conducted on 78, 6-year-old children prescribed antituberculosis preventive therapy. Compliance was measured by compliance with prescribed preventive therapy as reported by parents who were administered questionnaires on completion of the course. In a subsample of 44 children, the proportion of children who complied with scheduled visits to the hospital, and pharmacy records of isoniazid dispensed were used as measures of compliance. Questionnaire data indicated a reported compliance rate for completion of the 6-month course of preventive therapy of 70.5% (55 children). For those 55 who reported completing the full course, 91% reported missing less than 1 tablet per week. In the subsample of 44 children, only 59% attended all follow-up clinic visits, and 54% collected all 6 months of isoniazid prescribed. Compliance with antituberculosis preventive therapy is suboptimal. Improved methods to measure compliance and strategies to optimise compliance with preventive therapy is required.