Self-Identified Effective Strategies for the Management of Adverse Drug Reactions to First-Line Anti-Tuberculosis Drugs

Objective: Adverse drug reactions are important factors in patients’ discontinuation of antituberculosis drugs. Therefore, managing adverse drug reactions is vital to reducing the risk of tuberculosis transmission due to premature discontinuation of medications and increasing the chances of treatment success. We sought to explore self-identified, effective strategies for managing adverse drug reactions among newly diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis patients.Material and Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey investigating the symptom management of adverse drug reactions among newly diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis patients using first-line antituberculosis drugs.Results: Participants (n=394) reported the three highest-rated, self-identified, and effective strategies based on mean scores, enabling them to continue taking antituberculosis drugs, were: 1) Applying cold powder to manage itching (mean±S.D.=3.58±0.79), 2) Eating sour fruit to manage nausea (mean±S.D.=3.11±0.87), and 3) Eating small, frequent meals to manage decreased appetite (mean±S.D.=3.15±0.69).Conclusion: Self-identified effective strategies for adverse antituberculosis drug reactions can help patients continue taking antituberculosis drugs, decreasing disease severity.