| dc.description.abstract | Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It primarily affects the lungs but can also affect other organs. Symptoms include coughing, chest pain, weight loss, and fever. TB is transmitted through droplet infection. Kenya has a high burden of tuberculosis, with an estimated incidence of 268 cases per 100,000 population. In Siaya County, tuberculosis is among the most common disease, accounting for 15% of outpatient visits and 20% of inpatient admissions. Ukwala Subcounty Hospital has seen an increase in TB patients and drug-resistant TB cases, leading to chronic respiratory issues and reduced well-being. The aim of this study was to find out determinants of TB treatment outcomes at Ukwala subcounty Hospital, Siaya County, Kenya. Specifically, the study sough to examine the association between socio demographic characteristics and TB treatment outcomes, determine the relationship between clinical factors and TB treatment outcome, and establish institutional factors influencing TB treatment outcome at Ukwala subcounty Hospital Siaya county. A retrospective study design was conducted using quantitative techniques for a minimum of 117 files of patient diagnosed with TB. Systematic random sampling method was employed to select the population with every file having an equal chance. Quantitative data from structured questionnaires was entered, checked, cleaned and analyzed using SPSS version 29. Chi-square test was used for categorical variables in case of any relationship. Measures of association was considered statistically significant when p value was less than 0.05. Analysis was performed in order to obtain descriptive statistics. The study encompassed a diverse group of participants with a mean age of 49.1 years, ranging from 2 to 83 years. A significant majority, 75.2%, were over 30 years old, while only 4.3% were aged 11-20 years. In terms of gender, 69.2% were male and 30.8% were female. Marital status revealed that 51.3% were not in a marital union. Educational attainment was low, with 53.0% having only primary education; tertiary education was held by 7.7%. Economically, 32.5% engaged in informal employment, with 31.6% as farmers and 19.7% self-employed. Smoking status indicated that 85.5% were non-smokers. Treatment outcomes showed that 56.4% completed treatment, 35.0% were cured, and 8.5% died. Notably, younger patients (11-20 years) had an 80% completion rate, while the influence of socio-demographic factors on treatment outcomes remained statistically insignificant across variables like age, gender, and education. The study shows mixed TB treatment outcomes: 56.4% of patients completed treatment, 35.0% were cured, and 8.5% died. Socio-demographic factors like age, gender, education, smoking status, and employment did not significantly influence treatment results (p>0.05). Similarly, while there were differences in outcomes related to Gene Xpert diagnostics and drug availability, these factors also lacked statistical significance (p>0.05). This suggests that other unmeasured variables might play a more critical role in treatment success. The variability in institutional factors underscores the complex nature of TB management and the need for tailored approaches based on local contexts. Healthcare workers should explore additional determinants of TB treatment success, including institutional factors like healthcare access, clinical factors such as disease severity, and patient-related aspects like adherence and nutrition. Improving treatment outcomes requires enhancing patient education, infrastructure, and follow-up care. A multi-faceted approach is essential, prioritizing advanced diagnostics, robust supply chains for drug availability, effective patient tracking, and integrating nutritional support into TB treatment, particularly in food-insecure regions. | en_US |
