Mysore Medical College & Research Institute, Mysore, Karnataka

*Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi 

Is Awareness of DOTS among Medical Practitioners in Mysore a Worry?

Mudassir Azeez Khan, Sonal Agarwal, Vinayaknagaraja, Ganraj Bhat, Ghazal Dutta, Ashwini B. R., Abhinit Kumar *

BACKGROUNDBACKGROUNDRNTCP introduced in 1993

March 2006 – 100% DOTS Coverage by RNTCP

DOTS – Major Public Health Breakthrough

OBJECTIVESOBJECTIVES1. To study the extent of awareness of DOTS.

2. To compare DOTS awareness and usage among doctors based on criteria like:

Their graduation before or after the inclusion of DOTS in curriculum

The type of health centre they work in Their field of specialty

3. Impact of DOTS related myths and misconceptions among doctors.

METHODOLOGYMETHODOLOGYA cross-sectional comparative study

Subjects – 311/401 Registered Medical Practitioners in Mysore District who come across TB patients

Scope based Questionnaire preparation & Data Gathering

Statistical analysis using chi square test

THE BREAK-UPTHE BREAK-UP

WORK SET-UPWORK SET-UP

FIELD OF SPECIALTY FIELD OF SPECIALTY

THE PRE- & POST- THE PRE- & POST- RNTCP ERARNTCP ERA

BASIC INFORMATION BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT DOTSABOUT DOTS

THOSE WHO DO THOSE WHO DO PRACTICE DOTSPRACTICE DOTS

WHY NOT DOTS WHY NOT DOTS FOR ALL?FOR ALL?

THOSE WHO DO NOT THOSE WHO DO NOT PRACTICE DOTSPRACTICE DOTS

COST ESTIMATIONCOST ESTIMATION

ADOPTING DOTS &ADOPTING DOTS &MISCONCEPTIONSMISCONCEPTIONS

RESULTSRESULTS

Overall Usage/Awareness of DOTS – LOW

Considerably low(p< 0.001) among doctors

Graduating before inclusion of DOTS into curriculumPracticing in the Private SectorOrthopedic Surgeons, Gynecologists, Pediatricians

SITUATION NOT SOSITUATION NOT SODULL…DULL…

100% of the doctors working in

Government sector felt that DOTS was

better than NTCP.

Most of the doctors who practiced

DOTS felt that it was highly effective in

treating TB.

CONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONSCommunication gap between

RNTCP & its implementers (doctors)

Need for a parallel social network to help doctors implement DOTS

Need for proactive involvement of medical practitioners

SUGGESTIONSSUGGESTIONS

Workshops & CMEs

More emphasis about DOTS in Medical

Curriculum

Expand the scope of RNTCP to engage

more doctors

Authorize some private hospitals &

nursing homes as Microscopy Centers

SUGGESTIONS contd...SUGGESTIONS contd...Develop supply chain to ensure DOTS

availability

Directory of all Medical Practitioners

and a nationwide toll-free helpline

Education and direct involvement of

nurses, health workers and pharmacists

Adherence to counseling of the patients

DOTS - Fact sheet & CD for doctors

THANK YOUTHANK YOU

RNTCPRNTCP