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OBJECTIVES: To analyze the tuberculosis control studies in a primary health care center and to observe the changes throughout the years.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data of patients followed up between 2005 and 2014 in the Elazığ Dispensary were investigated retrospectively.
RESULTS: Of the total 1,251 patients, 51.6% were male. Majority of patients were aged between 15 and 24 (19.9%), 25 and 35 (18.5%), and over 65 (14.4%). While the rate of a sputum smear examination was 71.6%, the positivity rate for Acid-Fast bacilli was 55.5%. It was detected that the drug sensitivity test was applied in only 25.8% of all patients. The treatment success of all patients was 85.8%. The cure rate of smear-positive cases was found to be 26.35%. The rate of the relapsing patients was 9.1%. An overall treatment response rate was found to be 87.4%.
CONCLUSION: The control of tuberculosis in primary health care is partially successful and insufficient. The rate of smear-positive defaulters was found to be high in young adult individuals, which indicates that the contamination is probably still going on at a dangerous rate. Furthermore, the overall rate of microscopic examination, sputum culture, and drug sensitivity tests performed in patients in the primary health care system is low and should be improved immediately.
Cite this article as: Türkkanı MH, Özdemir T, Özdilekcan C, et al. National Control of Tuberculosis: Does Primary Health Care System Play a Crucial Role in the Fight Against Tuberculosis ? Turk Thorac J 2019; 20(4): 230-5.