Increasing return compliance in a tuberculosis detection drive

This study explored the role of subject commitment as a variable for increasing compliance rates in a university-sponsored tuberculosis (TB) detection drive. Return rates for reaction readings were compared between those subjects who had made an overt commitment to return (either a verbal or a verbal plus written agreement) and those subjects who were exposed to a standardized, no commitment procedure. Return rates under both commitment conditions significantly increased. Contrary to expectation, subjects with a known family history of TB were found to be a high-risk group for noncompliance. For this group, obtaining both verbal and written agreement from subjects appeared to be the most efficacious procedure to increase compliance.The authors wish to thank Mr. Joe Hunt, James Leeper, Ph.D., and members of AED (Premedicai Honorary Society) for their assistance in this experiment.Currently a student in the College of Community Health Sciences, University of Alabama, University, Alabama 35486.