A Survey of Specialist Physicians about the” Taiwan Guidelines for TB Diagnosis & Treatment” Issued by the Centers for Disease Control, Ministry of Health and Welfare

Chiao-Ni Wen1,2, Chi-Tai Fang1,2,3, Pan-Chyr Yang3,4

2014 Vol.30 NO.11

Correspondence Author: Chi-Tai Fang

  • 1.Ministry of Health and Welfare and National Taiwan University Infectious Diseases Research and Education Center
  • 2.Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, National Taiwan University
  • 3.Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University College of Medicine
  • 4.National Taiwan University College of Medicine

Abstract:

       This survey collected opinions and feedback from pulmonologists, infectious disease specialists, and tuberculosis specialists on the “Taiwan Guidelines for TB Diagnosis & Treatment” issued by the Centers for Disease Control, Ministry of Health and Welfare(Taiwan CDC) and about the policy of tuberculosis (TB) management as a reference for future policy making. The study was approved by Research Ethics Committee, National Taiwan University Hospital, in advance. The anonymous questionnaires were sent to members of Taiwan Society of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The Infectious Diseases Society of Taiwan, and Taiwan Society of Tuberculosis from December 2012 to April 2013.
       In total, 477 questionnaires were collected. Most respondents were attending physicians with more than five years of seniority or specialist physicians who were experienced in TB diagnosis and treatments. More than 85% of physicians believed the recommendations in the “Taiwan Guidelines for TB Diagnosis & Treatment ” were helpful for diagnosis and treatment. Compared to other pulmonary or infectious diseases, 33.1% of the respondents reported being "very willing" or "willing" to continually provide TB treatments, while 13.8% reported being “never willing" or "unwilling" to keep providing TB treatments. Further analysis found that the significant factors which affected physicians’ willingness to diagnose and treat TB cases were the “inspection and management of TB drug prescriptions” (OR 7.21, P <0.001) and “the load of medical paperwork” (OR 3.88, P = 0.001). Moreover, “the availability of assistance from epidemic preventing system in treating critical cases” was the significant factor that affected physicians’ experience on TB diagnosis and treatment.
       The “Taiwan Guidelines for TB Diagnosis & Treatment ” did provide useful recommendations for most specialist physicians. Nevertheless, the authorities should pay more attention to the “inspection and management of TB drug prescriptions”, the “assistance from epidemic preventing system”, and the “rational load of medical paperwork,” and should keep improving and communicating with medical practitioners for their recognition and cooperation, thus further upgrading Taiwan’s quality of medical care for tuberculosis

Keywords:tuberculosis, Guidelines for TB Diagnosis & Treatment, policy of tuberculosis management, opinion survey