2025/09/05 by Tegene Atamenta Kitaw a,*, Amsalu Baylie a, Addisu Getie b, Ribka Nigatu Haile a
paper · doi:10.20372/nadre:17270
Background: Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be a significant public health issue, especially in developing nations<br> like Ethiopia. The country aims to reach a 90 % treatment success rate for TB by 2025. However, there is a<br> considerable lack of recent data on treatment outcomes in the region. Current data on treatment outcomes and<br> their determinants are crucial for guiding early interventions and aligning efforts with national goals and the End<br> TB Strategy. Understanding the current state of TB treatment outcomes and influencing factors is vital for<br> implementing effective interventions and measuring progress toward the target.<br> Methods: A four-year retrospective study (2019–2022) was conducted. From 323 patient files, 312 were eligible<br> to be included in the final analysis, resulting in a response rate of 96.6 %. Data collection utilized a structured<br> checklist, and analysis was performed with STATA version 18. The Mann-Kendall trend test was used to detect<br> trends in TB incidence. Multicollinearity was checked using variance inflation factors (VIFs). A logistic regression<br> model identified determinants of treatment outcomes.<br> Results: The study revealed that 84.94 % of participants achieved favorable treatment outcomes, while 15.06 %<br> had unfavorable outcomes. A decreasing trend in unfavorable outcomes was noted, from 18.84 % in 2019 to<br> 10.71 % in 2022 (Kendall's tau (τ) = - 0.0686). Determinants of unfavorable outcomes included older age (AOR:<br> 3.59, 95 % CI: 1.23–10.56), HIV positivity (AOR: 5.43, 95 % CI: 1.65–10.83), and smear-negative pulmonary TB<br> (AOR: 3.82, 95 % CI: 1.39–10.45).<br> Conclusion: The overall treatment success rate of 84.94 % is below the global target of >90 % for 2025. Tailored<br> treatment strategies for older patients and those co-infected with HIV are recommended. Additionally, improving<br> TB diagnostic capabilities is essential for early intervention and achieving better outcomes.<br>