BACKGROUND Prophylactic treatment of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is necessary for controlling TB in low-incidence settings. However, treatment is often limited by poor completion rates. METHODS At a community health center serving low-income Hispanics, treatment completion among patients accepting 12 weekly doses of isoniazid (INH) plus rifapentine (RPT) administered as directly obse...

In 2000, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) overtook tuberculosis (TB) as the world's leading infectious cause of adult deaths. In affluent countries, however, AIDS mortality has dropped sharply, largely because of the use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Antiretroviral agents are not yet considered essential medications by international public health experts and are not ...

In 2000, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) overtook tuberculosis (TB) as the world’s leading infectious cause of adult deaths. In affluent countries, however, AIDS mortality has dropped sharply, largely because of the use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Antiretroviral agents are not yet considered essential medications by international public health experts and are not ...

INTRODUCTION Directly Observed Treatment (DOT) is the key element of DOTS (directly observed treatment, short course), part of the internationally recommended control strategy for tuberculosis (TB). The evaluation of DOT has not been widely evaluated in rural areas in developed settings. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate a modified DOT program (MDOT) by a general practitioner (GP) in ...

INTRODUCTION Decentralization of Directly Observed Treatment (DOT) for tuberculosis (TB) to the community (home-based DOT) has improved the coverage of TB treatment and reduced the burden to the health care facilities (facility-based DOT). We aimed to compare TB treatment outcomes in home-based and facility-based DOT under programmatic conditions in an urban setting with a high TB burden. MET...

This study analyzed the limitations and strengths of the Directly Observed Treatment Short-Course (DOTS) for tuberculosis from the perspective of patients and healthcare providers in a Technical Health Supervision unit in the city of São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Four patients and 17 healthcare providers from nine Primary Care Units were interviewed from April to June 2006, after signing free and info...

BACKGROUND Little is known about the characteristics of health workers. The objective of this study was to figure out the characteristics of different types of health workers involved in Directly Observed Treatment Short-course (DOTS) work. METHODS The study comprised of 444 community health workers and 822 potential DOTS workers; the participants attended the training course and completed st...