Objective: To improve the effectiveness of case detection and treatment of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) by implementing a mechanism of cooperation between hospitals and centers for disease control (CDC).
Methods: Since 1 March 2010, a new mechanism of cooperation between hospitals and CDCs had been established in 5 cities including Daqing, Quzhou, Puyang, Tianjin and Wanzhou in China. Data of MDR-TB case-detection, treatment and economic burdens before the intervention (January 1, 2006-June 30, 2009) and after the intervention (March 1, 2010-February 29, 2012) were collected. Then all data were analyzed by statistical method.
Results: After the intervention, samples from 68.4% (5 287/7 733) of smear-positive TB patients in the study regions underwent TB drug-resistant testing, and the number of the detected MDR-TB cases were 9.8 times that prior to the intervention. 93.1% (108/116) of the patients incorporated into the treatment of MDR-TB received the standardized initial chemotherapy program, and the number was 7 times that before the intervention. The referral rates after hospital discharge raised from 0% before the intervention to 92.8% after (90/97) the intervention; and 85.7% (83/97) of the patients received treatment and management by CDC. When the 6-month injection ended, MDR-TB patients still under treatment after the intervention were 84.5% (82/97), and those whose sputum culture became negative were 56.7% (55/97). The proportion of patients with self-paid and with catastrophic expenditures after the intervention were reduced to 18.0% (1 678/9 324) and 44.7% (17/38) respectively, as compared to 75.4% (7 659/10 158) and 76.7% (23/30) respectively before the intervention.
Conclusion: To establish a well-performed Hospital-CDC cooperation mechanism could promote the performance of MDR-TB case detection and treatment.