Economy, Service Distance and Physical Impairment as the Main Factors of Non-Adherence of Tuberculosis Patients in Districts/Cities

¹ Student of Doctoral Program Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, Indonesia
² Faculty of of Social and Political Science, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, Indonesia
³ Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, Indonesia

^a) Corresponding author: nixsonmanurung@gmail.com
^b) r.hamdani@usu.ac.id
^c) fazidah@usu.ac.id
^d) lita.sri@usu.ac.id

Abstract

Increased treatment adherence in tuberculosis patients can control and reduce the incidence of tuberculosis, thereby improving the quality of life of the community. TB control must be carried out jointly by involving all levels of society, including health workers, community organizations, religious organizations, government, and the private sector. Compliance of pulmonary tuberculosis patients in taking medication is the key to successful tuberculosis treatment. This study aimed to explore the main indicators causing non-compliance of tuberculosis patients in taking the medication regularly. This research is a qualitative study with a phenomenological approach. Data were collected using in-depth interviews and then analyzed with Atlas. ti. The informants in this study consisted of fifteen people consisting of five people with tuberculosis, five patients' families, and five health workers. The results of this study found three themes, namely (1) Economy, (2) Distance of service, and (3) Impact of disease. It was concluded that these three indicators are the most important things that cause patients to finally decide to stop taking medicine even though they are basically willing to comply and routinely take medicine every day. It is suggested that there should be good cooperation between Puskesmas officers, village midwives, and village officials to facilitate this problem indicator.