DOT, or Directly Observed Therapy, is a system used to help treat patients with active Tuberculosis (TB). The DOT system helps people to stick to the correct schedule for taking their medication, which helps them to make a proper recovery. World TB Day is coming up on March 24, and in the spirit of helping to put a stop to this serious disease, we wanted to share some information on DOT.

How does DOT Work?

The way it works is quite simple. In Directly Observed Therapy, a trained health care worker or another designated person will provide the patient with their prescribed TB medication, and watch the patient swallow every dose.

DOT can be provided by a nurse or a supervised outreach worker from the patient’s local public health department. This usually works best for clinics, home care agencies, correctional facilities, treatment centres, schools, employers and other facilities.

For more complex or intensive treatment plans, a home care agency might provide DOT, or share the responsibility with the local health department

DOT providers must remain objective, and so the patient’s family members must not be expected to provide DOT.

The responsibilities of the DOT provider include:

  • Delivering the prescribed medication
  • Watching the patient swallow the medication
  • Checking for side-effects
  • Documenting the visit
  • Answering any questions the patient may have

DOT usually starts at the beginning of TB treatment. The system is especially useful for patients who have to take their medication intermittently, for example 2 or 3 times a week.

Why use DOT?

Some people are more lax in taking their medication, especially once their symptoms start to clear up. However, it’s so important to make sure that TB patients complete their course of medication, in order for it to work properly.

Doctors can’t predict who will take their medication as directed and who won’t. This is where DOT can make a difference:

  • 86 to 90% of people complete their treatment, compared to 61% for people who are not on the DOT system.
  • Patients are able to finish their treatment as quickly as possible, without unnecessary gaps.
  • There is a lower risk of developing medication resistance, which can be caused by erratic dosage or incomplete treatment.
  • There is less chance of the patient spreading TB to others.
  • There is a lower chance of relapse or treatment failure.

Overall, DOT helps to improve patients’ recovery rates and prevent the further spread of TB, promoting healthier and safer communities.

Your Employee Wellness Programme (EAP) provides you with access to health advice, if you have any questions or want to know more about DOT treatment for TB. For more information about TB, click here.

 

Sources

Stop TB Partnership | World TB Day. Retrieved from: http://www.stoptb.org/events/world_tb_day/