Predictors of Tuberculosis and Non-Communicable Disease Comorbidities Among Newly Enrolled Tuberculosis Patients, Southern Ethiopia

Mengistu Handiso Nunemo; Kassa Daka Gidebo; Eskinder Wolka Woticha; Yohannes Kebede Lemu

doi:10.2147/IBPC.S432251

Predictors of Tuberculosis and Non-Communicable Disease Comorbidities Among Newly Enrolled Tuberculosis Patients, Southern Ethiopia

Integr Blood Press Control. 2023 Nov 22:16:95-109. doi: 10.2147/IBPC.S432251. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Mengistu Handiso Nunemo¹, Kassa Daka Gidebo², Eskinder Wolka Woticha², Yohannes Kebede Lemu³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Public Health, Wachemo University, Hossana, Central Region, Ethiopia.
² Department of Public Health, Wolaita Sodo University, Wolaita, South Region, Ethiopia.
³ Department of Health, Behaviour and Society, Jimma University, Jimma, Oromia Region, Ethiopia.

Abstract

Introduction: Non-communicable diseases are comorbid with tuberculosis, however only a few record review based studies have been conducted, which are more concentrated on elevated glucose levels. This study aimed to assess non-communicable disease comorbidity and its predictors among tuberculosis patients.

Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study design was used and the data were collected by a previously validated tool from a sample of 443 tuberculosis patients using cluster random sampling methods. Multinomial logistic regression was interpreted by relative risk to predict the association of comorbidity status with independent variables.

Results: The majority (87.81%) of TB patients were not comorbid with NCDs. The prevalence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus among tuberculosis patients were 6.55%, and 5.64%, respectively. The people who had a risk score >8 were 6.47 times more likely to have tuberculosis comorbid with one non-communicable disease compared to those with a risk score ≤8. The relative risk of tuberculosis patients with BMI >25 is 3.33 times compared to those with a BMI <23 of being comorbid with one non-communicable disease vs tuberculosis patients without non-communicable diseases. Those tuberculosis patients with an awareness of non-communicable disease comorbidities are 9.33 times more likely to have tuberculosis with multi-comorbidities compared to those who are unaware.

Conclusion: The majority of TB patients were not comorbid with NCDs. The person's weight, family size of more than five, monthly income >3000 birr, risk score >8 and BMI >25 significantly predict comorbidity with one non-communicable disease compared to those without a comorbidity. The presence of non-communicable disease comorbidity, treatment awareness, and being aged 50+ years significantly predict the presence of multi-comorbidities compared to those without comorbidity. For early detection and management of both diseases, establishing bidirectional screening platforms in tuberculosis care programs is urgently required.

Keywords: comorbidity; non-communicable disease; predictors; prevalence; tuberculosis.