Treatment success among Myanmar migrants with TB in Thailand

SETTING: Two facilities, one providing clinic-based care and another providing residential care to Myanmar migrants with TB, in a Thailand-Myanmar border area. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of health insurance, total delay and the model of care on treatment success of TB. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted among adult Myanmar migrants under treatment for newly diagnosed TB. Effects of health insurance, total delay and model of care on treatment success at completion of 6-month treatment were analysed using multiple logistic regression models. RESULTS: Of 191 Myanmar migrants with TB, 167 (87.4%) had treatment success. Median time delays from symptom onset to treatment initiation among migrants with health insurance receiving clinic-based care were significantly shorter than those without health insurance. Those who received residential care had higher odds of treatment success than those under clinic-based care (aOR 6.0, 95% CI 1.5-23.3); having health insurance (aOR 1.0, 95% CI 0.3-2.9) and total delay (aOR 1.7, 95% CI 0.7-4.2) were not significantly associated with treatment success. CONCLUSIONS: A high treatment success rate was associated with receiving residential care among Myanmar migrants with TB on the Thai-Myanmar border. The residential care model, implemented under a non-governmental organisation, was feasible and effective for the migrant population.