Assessing the determinants of drug-resistant tuberculosis in selected hospitals in Tigray region, Northern Ethiopia: a case-control study

Abstract Background Drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) is a significant challenge to the national tuberculosis (TB) control program in Ethiopia. The Tigray region in northern Ethiopia has shown a surge in the incidence of DR-TB cases. However, the determinants of DR-TB in the region are not studied...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Desalegn Meresa, Gebretsadik Berhe, Kidane Tadesse, Muuz Gebru, Gebremedhin Gebrezgabiher
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-07-01
Series:Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s41043-025-01021-y
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849764681465462784
author Desalegn Meresa
Gebretsadik Berhe
Kidane Tadesse
Muuz Gebru
Gebremedhin Gebrezgabiher
author_facet Desalegn Meresa
Gebretsadik Berhe
Kidane Tadesse
Muuz Gebru
Gebremedhin Gebrezgabiher
author_sort Desalegn Meresa
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) is a significant challenge to the national tuberculosis (TB) control program in Ethiopia. The Tigray region in northern Ethiopia has shown a surge in the incidence of DR-TB cases. However, the determinants of DR-TB in the region are not studied. This study is aimed at identifying the factors associated with the development of DR-TB in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia. Methods The study used an unmatched case-control design to identify determinants of DR-TB in the Tigray region, northern Ethiopia, whereby 86 patients and 86 controls who registered for TB treatment follow-up in selected hospitals were recruited. Trained nurses collected both primary and secondary data, which were analyzed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression. The test statistics was conducted with a 95% confidence level, and a p-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results The study included 86 patients with DR-TB (cases) and an equal number of patients with drug-susceptible (controls). The case and control groups had 38 (44.2%) and 47 (54.7%) males, respectively. The study revealed the study participants with male gender (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 4.9, 95% confidence interval [CI: 1.2–19.9), single marital status (AOR = 13.6, 95% CI: 2.3–81.2), history of TB treatment (AOR = 58.2, 95% CI: 11.2–302.1), experienced a delay of more than 60 days before TB diagnosis (AOR = 4.8, 95% CI: 1.2–19.3), interrupted treatment at least once (AOR = 4.9, 95% CI: 1.02–23.9), and unsuccessful treatment outcome at first treatment (AOR = 7.6, 95% CI: 1.8–35.9) had a higher risk of DR-TB. Conclusions The study highlights determinants of DR-TB in the region, including gender, marital status, delayed diagnosis (over 60 days), previous treatment history, interrupted treatment, and unsuccessful treatment outcomes during initial treatment. It is recommended that healthcare providers focus on targeted interventions, such as supporting males and unmarried individuals, ensuring early diagnosis and prompt initiation of treatment, improving treatment adherence, and providing tailored support for patients with histories of incomplete treatment and unsuccessful initial treatment outcomes.
format Article
id doaj-art-cdeb150a405749a6b9737fb19c48ba9a
institution DOAJ
issn 2072-1315
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition
spelling doaj-art-cdeb150a405749a6b9737fb19c48ba9a2025-08-20T03:05:04ZengBMCJournal of Health, Population and Nutrition2072-13152025-07-014411910.1186/s41043-025-01021-yAssessing the determinants of drug-resistant tuberculosis in selected hospitals in Tigray region, Northern Ethiopia: a case-control studyDesalegn Meresa0Gebretsadik Berhe1Kidane Tadesse2Muuz Gebru3Gebremedhin Gebrezgabiher4School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle UniversitySchool of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle UniversitySchool of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle UniversityDepartment of Veterinary Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Sciences, Mekelle UniversityDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Samara UniversityAbstract Background Drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) is a significant challenge to the national tuberculosis (TB) control program in Ethiopia. The Tigray region in northern Ethiopia has shown a surge in the incidence of DR-TB cases. However, the determinants of DR-TB in the region are not studied. This study is aimed at identifying the factors associated with the development of DR-TB in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia. Methods The study used an unmatched case-control design to identify determinants of DR-TB in the Tigray region, northern Ethiopia, whereby 86 patients and 86 controls who registered for TB treatment follow-up in selected hospitals were recruited. Trained nurses collected both primary and secondary data, which were analyzed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression. The test statistics was conducted with a 95% confidence level, and a p-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results The study included 86 patients with DR-TB (cases) and an equal number of patients with drug-susceptible (controls). The case and control groups had 38 (44.2%) and 47 (54.7%) males, respectively. The study revealed the study participants with male gender (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 4.9, 95% confidence interval [CI: 1.2–19.9), single marital status (AOR = 13.6, 95% CI: 2.3–81.2), history of TB treatment (AOR = 58.2, 95% CI: 11.2–302.1), experienced a delay of more than 60 days before TB diagnosis (AOR = 4.8, 95% CI: 1.2–19.3), interrupted treatment at least once (AOR = 4.9, 95% CI: 1.02–23.9), and unsuccessful treatment outcome at first treatment (AOR = 7.6, 95% CI: 1.8–35.9) had a higher risk of DR-TB. Conclusions The study highlights determinants of DR-TB in the region, including gender, marital status, delayed diagnosis (over 60 days), previous treatment history, interrupted treatment, and unsuccessful treatment outcomes during initial treatment. It is recommended that healthcare providers focus on targeted interventions, such as supporting males and unmarried individuals, ensuring early diagnosis and prompt initiation of treatment, improving treatment adherence, and providing tailored support for patients with histories of incomplete treatment and unsuccessful initial treatment outcomes.https://doi.org/10.1186/s41043-025-01021-yDrug-resistant tuberculosisDeterminantsCase-controlTigrayEthiopia
spellingShingle Desalegn Meresa
Gebretsadik Berhe
Kidane Tadesse
Muuz Gebru
Gebremedhin Gebrezgabiher
Assessing the determinants of drug-resistant tuberculosis in selected hospitals in Tigray region, Northern Ethiopia: a case-control study
Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition
Drug-resistant tuberculosis
Determinants
Case-control
Tigray
Ethiopia
title Assessing the determinants of drug-resistant tuberculosis in selected hospitals in Tigray region, Northern Ethiopia: a case-control study
title_full Assessing the determinants of drug-resistant tuberculosis in selected hospitals in Tigray region, Northern Ethiopia: a case-control study
title_fullStr Assessing the determinants of drug-resistant tuberculosis in selected hospitals in Tigray region, Northern Ethiopia: a case-control study
title_full_unstemmed Assessing the determinants of drug-resistant tuberculosis in selected hospitals in Tigray region, Northern Ethiopia: a case-control study
title_short Assessing the determinants of drug-resistant tuberculosis in selected hospitals in Tigray region, Northern Ethiopia: a case-control study
title_sort assessing the determinants of drug resistant tuberculosis in selected hospitals in tigray region northern ethiopia a case control study
topic Drug-resistant tuberculosis
Determinants
Case-control
Tigray
Ethiopia
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s41043-025-01021-y
work_keys_str_mv AT desalegnmeresa assessingthedeterminantsofdrugresistanttuberculosisinselectedhospitalsintigrayregionnorthernethiopiaacasecontrolstudy
AT gebretsadikberhe assessingthedeterminantsofdrugresistanttuberculosisinselectedhospitalsintigrayregionnorthernethiopiaacasecontrolstudy
AT kidanetadesse assessingthedeterminantsofdrugresistanttuberculosisinselectedhospitalsintigrayregionnorthernethiopiaacasecontrolstudy
AT muuzgebru assessingthedeterminantsofdrugresistanttuberculosisinselectedhospitalsintigrayregionnorthernethiopiaacasecontrolstudy
AT gebremedhingebrezgabiher assessingthedeterminantsofdrugresistanttuberculosisinselectedhospitalsintigrayregionnorthernethiopiaacasecontrolstudy