Title: Factors Influencing Default In Tuberculosis Patients In Selected Primary Health Care Facilities, Afijio Local Government Area, Jobele, Oyo State, Nigeria
Authors: Adegoke Latifat Olamide
Olatise Bintu Omolayo
Adesina Dorcas
Esther Olufunke Ademola
Olagunju Oladiran IsaiahAdekemi Mercy Adeleye
Alangs Manasseh Stephen
Oluwasusi Fehintola Abiodun
Volume: 10
Issue: 6
Pages: 48-58
Publication Date: 2026/06/28
Abstract:
Background: Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the foremost infectious disease challenges in Nigeria, a high-burden country where treatment default continues to undermine disease control despite the availability of free, evidence-based treatment regimens under the Directly Observed Treatment Short-Course (DOTS) strategy. In Afijio Local Government Area, Oyo State, a densely populated semi-urban community, patient default from anti-tuberculosis therapy remains a significant yet understudied obstacle to achieving the WHO treatment success target of 85%.Objective: This study investigated the factors influencing default in tuberculosis patients attending selected primary health care facilities in Afijio Local Government Area, Jobele, Oyo State, Nigeria, with specific attention to patients' knowledge of TB causes, mode of transmission and signs and symptoms; their perceptions of the effects of TB; and their awareness of TB prevention strategies.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was employed. A total of 150 respondents were selected through stratified random sampling (75 male and 75 female) from five primary health care facilities in Afijio LGA. Data were collected using a validated, structured self-administered questionnaire. Reliability testing using Cronbach's alpha yielded a coefficient of 0.743. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, with an arithmetic decision mean of 2.5 applied to classify responses as agree (mean ? 2.5) or disagree (mean < 2.5). Results: The majority of respondents were female (54.0%), aged 31-40 years (27.3%), of Yoruba ethnicity (44.0%), Christian (39.3%), and functionally illiterate (68.0%). Respondents demonstrated good overall knowledge of TB signs and symptoms, causative organism, and airborne transmission mode (Research Question 1), with a misconception that TB can be transmitted through handshaking (mean = 2.29, Disagree). They correctly identified TB effects, including lung damage (mean = 3.60), social stigmatisation (mean = 3.60), and death (mean = 2.75), but did not universally recognise job loss as a TB consequence (mean = 2.43, Disagree) (Research Question 2). Key prevention strategies-community education, improved ventilation, BCG vaccination, and early diagnosis, were endorsed, while avoiding handshaking was incorrectly identified as a preventive measure (mean = 2.19, Disagree) (Research Question 3). Conclusion: Tuberculosis patients and clients in Afijio LGA demonstrate reasonable knowledge of TB, its effects, and prevention strategies, yet persistent misconceptions, high illiteracy rates, inadequate drug supply, undertrained health workers, and socioeconomic barriers collectively drive treatment default. Comprehensive, community-based, and culturally responsive interventions addressing these multilevel determinants are essential to improve TB treatment adherence and outcomes in this community.