Abstract

Personal and social characteristics, disease status, reason of delay of receiving drug from City Health Center and knowledge and attitude on the pulmonary tuberculosis were compared between the faithful group in treatment and the unfaithful group among the patients for pulmonary tuberculosis registered in a City Health Center in order to analyze the factors which influenced the faithfulness to treatment. Record as well as interview survey was done toward all patients of 247 who were registered and being cared during over 6 months in a City Health Center from April 1, 1982 to March 31, 1983, and results were as follows; 1. There was no statistically significant difference in sex and age distribution between the faithful group in treatment and the unfaithful group. 2. There was no statistically significant difference in marital status distribution between the faithful group and unfaithful group in treatment. 3. The lower education group comprised higher proportion than the higher education group among the faithful group in treatment. 4. The proportion of the employed was higher than unemployed among the unfaithful group in treatment. 5. The proportion of mild case was higher than severe case among the unfaithful group in treatment. 6. As for the onset of delay of receiving drug, "less than 3 month after starting treatment" was 59.5% among the unfaithful group in treatment. 7. The reasons of delay of receiving drug were "no time" (42.2%), "being away from home" (25.0%), "being sick" (13.8%), and "forget the appointed date"(12.0%). 8. There was no statistically significant difference in the knowledge on the communicability of the tuberculosis between the faithful groups in treatment and the unfaithful group. 9. There was no statistically significant difference in the knowledge on B.C.G as vaccination drug of tuberculosis between the faithful group and the unfaithful group in treatment. 10. There was no statistically significant difference in the satisfaction on the treatment of health center between the group of faithful and unfaithful in treatment. 11. There was no statistically significant difference in the belief on the complete recovery of tuberculosis between the faithful group and the unfaithful group in treatment. 12. The rate of consulting on tuberculosis treatment with life partner was higher among the faithful group in treatment than the unfaithful group.