High Isoniazid Preventive Therapy Completion Rate among Household Contacts of Tuberculosis Patients in Duhok Province

Background And Objective: Tuberculosis (TB) preventive therapy is a key intervention to achieve a world free of TB. We assessed the completion rate of isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) among household contacts (HHCs) in Duhok province. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from April to September 2021 at the National TB Program Center (NTP). HHCs who were positive for the Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) and/or the Quantiferon TB-Gold Plus Assay (QFTPlus) with active TB cases were included in the study. A standard questionnaire was adopted for sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. The HHCs receiving INH therapy were advised to continue the treatment for 6 months under regular monthly follow-up. Results: Of a total of 181, 134 (74.04%) were accepted and completed the treatment, whereas 47 (25.96%) declined IP. 41 (22.7%) of the LTBI-positive HHCs were among the 25-34 age group. The IPT completion rate in males (58.2%) was slightly higher when compared to females (42.4%) without a significant difference of p value 0.92 (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.49-1.89). No differences were noticed among smokers, alcoholics, diabetics, or those on immunosuppressive treatment.