DEVELOPMENT OF A HEALTH-EDUCATION BOOKLET TO ENHANCE ADHERENCE TO TUBERCULOSIS TREATMENT

Effective anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy was developed during the 1950 's, yet four decades later the cure rates for tuberculosis (TB) worldw ide remain unacceptably low. A major reason for the failure to elimina te TB is that many patients with active disease fail to take sufficien t anti-tuberculosis medication to render a cure. This paper describes a project designed to involve clinic nurses in the process of explorin g how TB patients experience their disease, Information obtained from the qualitative research process was used to develop a photonovel whic h can be used to supplement the education given to newly diagnosed TB patients.