Korean J Prev Med.  1982 Oct;15(1):125-130.

The Influence of Subjective Complaints to the Course of Treatment in Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients

• Kim SS

Abstract

In order to investigate the relation of subjective complaints to objective course of treatment in pulmonary tuberculosis, one hundred and seventy four cases registered at the University Health Center in Chonnam University were divided into two groups, complaint group and non-complaint group. By analysing the record at the University Health Center during these seven years from 1973 to 1979, following results were obtained: 1. In complaint group who had subjective symtoms, thirty eightcases(77.6%) among forty nine cases were detected at clinic visit. In non-complaint group who had not any symtoms, one hundred and twenty one cases (96.8%) among one hundred and twenty five cases were detected at compulsive physical examination. 2. Comparisons of complaint group with non-complaint group were not statistically significant in many aspects, but significantly higher cases were discharged at the University Health Center to receive other medical service in complaint group than in non-complaint group. (6.1% vs 0.8, respectively). On the contrary, non-complaint group refused medication more than two times compared with complaint group in the course of treatment (29.9% vs 12.2%, respectively). 3. In the average time lag from initial diagnosis to initial treatment, comparisons between complaint vs non-complaint group were significant (7.8 vs 28.3 days, respectively). 4. Subiective symptoms were thought to create motivation to receivetherapy, and infuence of motivation to therapy was strong at initial stage but it become weaker as time passed.

MeSH Terms

Ambulatory Care
Diagnosis
Humans
Jeollanam-do
Motivation
Physical Examination
Tuberculosis, Pulmonary*