Abstract
A cross sectional descriptive study aboutprevalence of rifampicin resistant tuberculosis and its associated factors among patients was conducted on 384 TB patients at Lubaga hospital between March and April 2015. The patients were selected by simple random sampling and data was collected by use of a structured questionnaire and analysis done using SPSS version 17.
Rifampicin (RMP) is associated with the lowest occurrence of resistance against tubercle bacilli (Mukinda et al 2012). It is estimated that nearly 60,000 MDR- TB cases occur annually in the sub- Saharan region and these comprise of 14% of the global burden of TB (WHO 2010).
The prevalence of rifampicin resistance according to this study’s findings was 10%.
The predisposing factors to rifampicin resistance were cigarette smoking (P-Value = 0.001), history of prolonged stay with a TB infected patient, (P-Value = 0.001) and history of previous treated episode of TB among the study respondents (P-Value = 0.001).
The government of Uganda needs to carry out more intensified mass sensitization of people about the dangers of cigarette smoking particularly to HIV infected individuals.
In the same line of sensitization, people need to be continuously reminded by ministry of health about the signs and symptoms of TB so that community members can identify suspects and refer them for specialised diagnosis and management such that delayed detection of the disease is minimised which will also reduce on rifampicin resistance. It will also minimise exposure of people living with the infected individuals.
Keywords
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