Prevalence Of Pulmonary Tuberculosis Among Patients with Diabetes Mellitus in Kagera Region, Tanzania.

Background: Globally and within the African region there is limited knowledge on the double burden of Tuberculosis (TB) and diabetes mellitus (DM) (TB-DM). The risk of acquiring TB among DM patients is three (3) times higher than in the general population. Patients having DM not only have a high risk of getting TB disease but also have poor treatment outcomes. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study among patients attending diabetic clinics in the Kagera region, Tanzania. Sampling was done using a multi-stage sampling technique to select study participants from hospitals with DM clinics. Data for this study were gathered through the administration of a structured questionnaire and were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). Logistic regression was utilized to investigate any associations and control for confounding variables. A p -value below 0.05 was deemed statistically significant in determining the results. Results: The prevalence of TB among patients with DM in the Kagera region was 14%. Among the socio-demographic findings sex, level of education, residence, facility level, and alcohol consumption were highly associated with TB. In the multivariate analysis, male sex, lack of formal education, lower facility level, private facility ownership, and being co-infected with HIV were significantly associated with a TB diagnosis among the DM patients ( p <0.005). Conclusion: The findings revealed a high prevalence of TB among DM patients in the region, indicating the substantial burden of TB-DM comorbidity. Multiple risk factors were identified leading to a TB diagnosis among the DM patients. Henceforth, public health officials should educate the public on the substantial burden of TB-DM co-infection, and encourage individuals with diabetes to take measures to prevent TBinfection.