Tuberculosis case finding and isoniazid preventive therapy among people living with HIV at public health facilities of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a cross-sectional facility based study.

Background: Activities to decrease the burden of tuberculosis (TB) among people living with HIV (PLHIV) include intensified TB case-finding (ICF), Isoniaizid (INH) preventive therapy (IPT) and infection control in health-care and congregate settings (IC). Information about the status of collaborative TB/HIV care services which decreases the burden of TB among PLHIV in Ethiopia is limited. The purpose of the study was to assess TB case finding and provision of IPT among PLHIV in Addis Ababa.

Methods: A cross sectional, facility-based survey was conducted between June 2011 and August 2011. Data was collected by interviewing 849 PLHIV from ten health facilities in Addis Ababa. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze findings and the results are described in this report.

Results: The proportion of PLHIV who have been screened for TB during any one of their follow-up cares was 92.8%. Eighty eight (10.4%) of the study participants have been diagnosed for TB during their HIV follow-up cares. PLHIV who had never been diagnosed for TB before they knew their positive HIV status were nearly four times more likely to be diagnosed for TB during follow-up cares than those diagnosed before (AOR [95% CI]: 3.78 [1.69-8.43]). Nearly a third (28.7%) of all interviewed PLHIV self reported that they had been treated with IPT.

Conclusions: It can be concluded that ICF for TB and IPT among PLHIV in Addis Ababa need boosting. Hence, it is recommended to put into practice the national and global guidelines to improve ICF and IPT among PLHIV in the city.