HAROON TAHIR, MUHAMMAD QASIM, MOHAMMAD ASAD BILAL, HAFSA HASHMI, KHUNSA JUNAID, ALIA NASEER, ARSLAN HAIDER, SIDRA NASEEM
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18723229Background: Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) poses a major public health threat in Pakistan, where socio-demographic and psychosocial factors significantly influence treatment outcomes. This study assessed the clinical profile, social support, and psychological experiences of MDR-TB patients from multiple healthcare facilities in Punjab.
Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 342 MDR-TB patients from five major hospitals in Punjab: Nishtar Hospital Multan, Jinnah Hospital Lahore, Gulab Devi Hospital Lahore, Sheikh Zayed Hospital Rahim Yar Khan, and DHQ Hospital Sargodha. Data were collected through structured interviews and medical records, focusing on age, education, income, comorbidities, treatment side effects, social support, and stigma-related experiences. Statistical associations between age groups and psychosocial factors were analyzed using chi-square tests, with significance set at p < 0.05.
Results: The 21–40 age group represented the highest patient proportion (37.6%). Most participants were unemployed (98.3%) and from urban settings (65.5%). The most reported symptoms were cough (14%), weight loss (5.2%), and fever (1.7%). Among co-morbidities, diabetes (13.1%) and hepatitis B/C (10.5%) were most common. A high percentage of patients (94.8%) were aware of MDR-TB. Treatment side effects included GI disturbances (55.9%), psychiatric disorders (16.6%), and joint pain (17%). Psychosocial analysis showed a significant association between age groups and availability of household help (p = 0.002), community support (p = 0.04), and feelings of being a burden on others (p = 0.05). Emotional support (p = 0.36), family moral support (p = 0.27), and problem-sharing tendencies (p = 0.16) varied across age groups, with middle-aged patients receiving the most support. Discrimination at hospitals (p = 0.31), stigma from illness (p = 0.01), and job-related effects (p = 0.001) were also recorded, particularly affecting younger and older patients.
Conclusion: The study highlights that MDR-TB patients in Pakistan experience not only severe physical symptoms but also a substantial psychosocial burden. Age plays a key role in determining the level of support and stigma patients receive. Targeted interventions addressing emotional care, stigma reduction, nutritional support, and improved healthcare counselling are urgently needed to enhance patient outcomes.
