Treating tuberculosis: the essential role of social work

The resurgence of tuberculosis gives cause for alarm. Compliance with an effective medication regimen leads to cure; yet, many patients fail to comply. This paper discusses factors affecting compliance and the essential role of social work, from an ecological perspective, when intervening to increase compliance. The authors relate comments made by patients at the only hospital originally and still serving as a TB sanatorium in relation to literature on compliance. Changes at the hospital include the development of a social work department which uses the ecological perspective in working with patients whose histories include non-compliance, as well as alcoholism, homelessness, loneliness, joblessness, and AIDS. The content of interviews with patients reveal and identify problems for future research.