Pattern of drug compliance in leprosy patients attending urban centres--a longitudinal study.
No Thumbnail Available
Date
1990-07-01
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
The pattern of drug compliance in 485 leprosy patients attending urban leprosy centres in Bombay was studied for 2 years. The study subjects included 113 patients with paucibacillary leprosy under dapsone monotherapy, 241 patients with paucibacillary leprosy under multidrug therapy and 131 patients with multibacillary leprosy under multidrug therapy. Their urine samples had been checked at least 6 times during the 2 years by DDS tile test at the time of their clinic attendance. The urine test results were not disclosed to the patients, but patients showing negative results were counselled about the need for regular drug intake. 35% of the patients were "Regular through out", 13% were "Irregular through out" and the other 52% who "Tended to be irregular" in their drug intake became "Regular" after counselling. Regularity in drug compliance was better in patients on multidrug therapy than in those on monotherapy. It is suggested that periodic testing of urine for checking for regularity of drug intake and subsequent counselling of patients should be made a routine practice to maintain drug compliance at a high level.
Description
Keywords
Citation
Naik SS, Gole DH, Neet MR, Dongre VV. Pattern of drug compliance in leprosy patients attending urban centres--a longitudinal study. Indian Journal of Leprosy. 1990 Jul-Sep; 62(3): 305-9