Why do tuberculosis patients default in Tashkent City, Uzbekistan? A qualitative study.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) control in Tashkent City, Uzbekistan, is organised in accordance with the DOTS strategy. Intensive phase treatment is provided in hospital, while the continuation phase is given on an ambulatory basis. In 2005, the defaulter rate was 21%.

Drug prescribing practices for tuberculosis in Uzbekistan.

Setting: Uzbekistan has had 100% DOTS coverage since 2005; however, the treatment success rate has remained at around 80% for the last 4 years. Surveys from the capital city of Tashkent and from western Uzbekistan have shown high levels of primary multidrug resistance.

Objective: To assess treatment regimens prescribed for new cases of tuberculosis (TB), including the prescription of additional non-TB drugs, and the cost implications for the patient.

Default from tuberculosis treatment in Tashkent, Uzbekistan; who are these defaulters and why do they default?

Background: In Tashkent (Uzbekistan), TB treatment is provided in accordance with the DOTS strategy. Of 1087 pulmonary TB patients started on treatment in 2005, 228 (21%) defaulted. This study investigates who the defaulters in Tashkent are, when they default and why they default.

Health-care seeking behaviour for TB symptoms in two provinces of Uzbekistan.

In Uzbekistan, mass X-ray screening for TB is still used. The groups targeted are broad and include at least 50% of the population. Of all pulmonary TB cases, 73% are reported to be detected by this method.