CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY
Tuberculosis is a problem of global importance among communicable diseases. It is second leading disease causing death worldwide killing nearly 2 million people each year in Nigeria. Non-compliance of patients on tuberculosis treatment in an irregular and unreliable way has greatly caused risk of treatment failure, relapse and the development of drug-resistance tuberculosis strains. There are varieties of reasons why patients fail to take their medications. The center for disease control (2008) states the following:
- The patients compliant is that medicines must be taken with empty stomach to facilitate absorption. This can be difficult for patients to follow especially waking up an hour earlier than usual everyday just to take medicine on empty stomach.
- Another complains is the size of tablet
- Side-effect of the drugs can lead to patients not complying to their treatment.
- Issues on denial, stigmatization, emotional distress, cultural and life-style factors make patients not to take their treatment.
- Poverty, transportation, religion and attitude of health workers contribute to non-compliance of patients on tuberculosis treatment.
Non-compliance of patient on tuberculosis treatment is a serious problem for national tuberculosis control programs ()2007 states that this case tens to have higher morbidity and mortality rate compared with those who are not cured also they remain infections for prolonged period of time, hence affected patient continues to transmit the disease in the community.
World Health Organization (2009). Has estimated that 2 billion people have latent tuberculosis disease which has killed 1.7 million people in Nigeria. In Nigeria, 81% patients are non-compliance to treatment for more than one month before presenting at chest dinks. The patients visit traditional leaders and have low level knowledge about the disease or due to high cost of treatment, transportation and poverty. World health organization (2013)reposted world wild that some countries like south Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Malaysia, Ghana, china, united states of America, Canada were implementing the direct observed treatment short worse strategy by the end of 20013.