Suspected tuberculosis case detection and referral in private pharmacies in Viet Nam

• Published in: The international journal of tuberculosis and lung disease Vol. 16; no. 12; pp. 1625 - 1629
• Main Authors: Vu, D. H., van Rein, N., Cobelens, F. G. J., Nguyen, T. T. H., Le, V. H., Brouwers, J. R. B. J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Paris, France International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease 01-12-2012; International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease
• Subjects: Adult; Antitubercular Agents - therapeutic use; Attitude of Health Personnel; Awareness; Bacterial diseases; Biological and medical sciences; Community Pharmacy Services; Delayed Diagnosis; Female; Free Treatment; Gpp; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Hospitals, Chronic Disease; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Interviews as Topic; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Multivariate Analysis; Mycobacterium; National Health Programs; Ntp; Odds Ratio; Patient Simulation; Pharmacists - psychology; Pneumology; Predictive Value of Tests; Private Sector; Professional Competence; Prognosis; Referral and Consultation; Simulated Patient; Surveys and Questionnaires; Time Factors; Tuberculosis - diagnosis; Tuberculosis - drug therapy; Tuberculosis - microbiology; Tuberculosis and atypical mycobacterial infections; Vietnam; Young Adult; Vietnam; Human; GPP; Mycobacterial infection; NTP; free treatment; Infection; Case study; Treatment; Tuberculosis; simulated patient; Bacteriosis; Detection; Pneumology
• ISSN: 1027-3719; 1815-7920
• DOI: 10.5588/ijtld.12.0295

SETTINGS: Private pharmacies in Hanoi, Viet Nam.OBJECTIVES: To explore the response of health care providers (HCPs) in private pharmacies to suspected tuberculosis (TB) patients.METHODS: A simulated patient method combined with an interview in 128 randomly selected private pharmacies
and 10 private pharmacies near TB hospitals.RESULTS: In the simulated patient method and interview, respectively 59 (46%) and 70 (55%) of HCPs referred the TB suspect to general health care. Only 11 (9%) referred the simulated patient to a TB care facility. Fifty-two (42%) of the HCPs
identified suspected TB from a fictitious case described on paper; 34 (27%) were aware that free treatment was provided under the National Tuberculosis Programme (NTP). Knowledge about free NTP treatment predicted a higher rate of direct referrals to TB facilities (OR 5.80, 95%CI 1.88-19.62)
and greater ability to identify suspected TB from a fictitious case on paper (OR 5.14, 95%CI 2.36-11.73). Pharmacies with Good Pharmacy Practice (GPP) certification were less likely to refer simulated patients to TB facilities than non-GPP pharmacies (OR 0.10, 95%CI ≤0.01-0.79).CONCLUSIONS:
Nearly half of HCPs in private pharmacies do not refer TB suspects, possibly contributing to delays in diagnosis and treatment. Knowledge about free NTP treatment predicted better performance of HCPs.