The Experiences of TB Patients in Mosvold Health District who have successfully completed treatment

Abstract

Objective: To understand some of the reasons why TB patients were successfully able to complete six months of supervised ambulatory treatment. Design: Descriptive qualitative. Setting: Mosvold Health District, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. Methodology: Focus Group i nterviews were u ndertaken with'successful patients', their families, Community Health Workers (CHW) who had supervised 'successful patients' and members of staff from the hospital TB ward.The major themes to emerge from each interview were identified and integrated into a schema. Results: The major theme to emerge was the patient's need to choose between traditional and western treatments when becoming ill. The outcome of this choice is largely determined by the patient's and the family's beliefs about disease and ill health.The vast majority of ill people initially choose traditional forms of treatment and only entered the western system when these traditional methods failed. Factors shown to improve compliance withTB medication included:failure of the traditional treatment; sufficient food at home to prevent the occurrence of side effects when taking medication; previous experience of successful western TB treatment; support and encouragement from the family and community health worker and seeing one's own X-rays. Recommendations and Conclusions: the need to accept people in a non-judgemental person-centered manner; to focus on successful information-sharing strategies (which include cured TB patients); to demonstrate 'sores' on chest X-rays and to provide patients with support and encouragement. A non-judgemental approach to traditional healing and working in co-operation with traditional healers is suggested.