Philippine E-Journals

Levels of Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis Treatment Success among ASEAN Countries

Mark Ian C. Andres | Brendalyn R. Basilan | Camille Yvonne D. Cubar | Ricky B. Villeta

Discipline: Health

 

Abstract:

Health expenditure of a country is intended to finance medicines and other medical services and assistance for those people affected with diseases especially those communicable ones. The global issue of tuberculosis has been a well-known communicable disease which could result in another type of such disease, if untreated. This study is conducted to assess the treatment success of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) cases, which had been a burden for countries in terms of financial aspects. Through the use of multivariate cluster and principal component analyses, ASEAN countries were grouped and ranked from very highly successful to least successful in the level of treatment success which would provide comprehensive findings as to what ASEAN country successfully provides financial to their diagnosed patients. Further, it was found out that the level of success of MDR-TB treatments among ASEAN countries varies inversely with the number of patients undergoing the treatment while directly proportional to the amount of investments in health expenditures. Hence, MDR-TB treatment success depends on the level of amount of investments for health the ASEAN country has and the number of patients undergoing the treatment. Thus, the success of the treatment can be achieved at high economic price.