Private patient perceptions about a public programme; what do private Indian tuberculosis patients really feel about directly observed treatment?

ABSTRACT:

Background

India accounts for one-fifth of the global incident cases of tuberculosis(TB). The country presently has the world's largest directly observed treatment, short course (DOTS) programme, that has shown impressive results and covers almost 100% of the billion-plus Indian population. Despite such a successful programme, the majority of Indian patients with tuberculosis prefer private healthcare, although repeated audits of this sector have shown the quality to be poor. We aimed to ascertain the level of awareness and knowledge of private patients with tuberculosis attending our clinic at a tertiary private healthcare institute with regards to the DOTS programme, understanding the reasons behind their preference for private healthcare, and evaluating their perceptions and rea

SUBMITTER: Pinto LM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2903519 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature