The Quality of Tuberculosis Services in Health Care Centres in a Rural District in Uganda: The Providers’ and Clients’ Perspective

Table 4

Patient reported process characteristics of TB care at the health facilities in Kamuli district, March–May 2012.

Process characteristic	Frequency ()	Percentage
Source of information about TB services
Referred by a health worker	294	75.19
Recommended by somebody who has ever used	49	12.53
From the media	40	10.23
Others	8	2.05
Informed that you would transmit TB to others
No	52	13.27
Yes	340	86.73
Informed when you stop spreading TB to others
No	94	23.98
Yes	298	76.02
Informed when next to come back for TB services
No	64	16.33
Yes	328	83.67
Informed that TB is cured
No	24	6.14
Yes	367	93.86
Informed about side effects of TB drugs
No	55	31.98
Yes	117	68.02
Aware of all the signs to stop TB medication
No	150	87.21
Yes	22	12.79
Informed about sputum follow-up tests at given points
No	12	6.98
Yes	160	93.02
Informed about the link between HIV and TB
No	24	6.12
Yes	368	93.88
Advised to take an HIV test
No	25	6.38
Yes	367	93.62
HW explained to you how to collect the sample
No	63	16.11
Yes	328	83.89
HWs explained things in a way you understand
No	16	4.08
Yes	376	95.92
You received all the necessary information you need to know
No	54	13.78
Yes	338	86.22
Had enough time to discuss problems with HWs
No	110	28.06
Yes	282	71.94
Opinion about attitude of staff at the health facility
Very good	127	32.48
Good	179	45.78
Fair	84	21.48
Poor	1	0.26
Time spent to receive lab results after handing in second sample
0–2 working days	270	68.88
3–5 working days	100	25.51
More than five working days	22	5.61
Treatment observer checking on your daily intake of drugs
No	23	16.55
Yes	116	83.45
Waiting time to see the health care worker
Less than 1 hour	162	41.33
1 hour to 2 hours	188	47.96
More than two hours	42	10.71
Waiting time to receive anti-TB drugs
0-1 day	115	66.86
2 working days	39	22.67
3 working days	12	6.98
5 working days	6	3.49

Note: Only the newly confirmed TB cases and TB cases on treatment were asked whether they had been told about the side effects of TB drugs, and whether they knew all the signs to stop TB medication (severe skin itching, change of eye colour, impaired vision, and severe vomiting), and whether they had been informed about follow up tests of TB at different points during the course of treatment ().
Note: Only the TB cases on treatment were asked whether they had a treatment observer checking on their daily intake of anti-TB drugs ().
Note: Only the newly confirmed TB cases and TB cases on treatment were asked how long they waited to receive anti-TB drugs ().
Note: Waiting time to receive anti-TB drugs was considered from the time of receipt of laboratory results.
Note: Waiting time to see the health care workers was considered from the time a patient reached the facility to seeing the clinician.