THE ROLE OF SOCIAL SUPPORT IN IMPROVING COMPLIANCE IN DRUG-RESISTANT PULMONARY TB PATIENTS DURING TREATMENT: A COMMUNITY AND FAMILY APPROACH (Innovations in Cultural and Spiritual Psychiatry: New Perspectives in Mental Health Care)

Tuberculosis is a disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It affects all ages and genders. Globally, morbidity and mortality rates increase with age. Among elderly patients, men outnumber women. In Indonesia, it was reported in 2002 that of 76,230 patients with acid-fast bacilli (AFB) TB, 43,294 were men (56.79%) and 32,936 were women (43.21%). The cure rate for these patients was only 70.03%, out of the 85% target (Infodatin.2018).

Cycloserine is effective for treating multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) because it does not induce cross-resistant reactions. Side effects from this drug depend on the dose administered and idiosyncratic reactions. (Jacob Amus Dunga, et al. 2015). Several psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety, depression, suicide, paranoia, hallucinations, and behavioral changes have been reported in approximately 9.7-50% of patients receiving cycloserine, occurring within the first 12 weeks of treatment (Padi A, et al. 2013).

Family education and strengthening patient coping mechanisms are crucial because patients will undergo long-term treatment and may experience side effects that can be quite uncomfortable.