Abstract:
Tuberculosis is an infectious disease and remains a significant health problem in Indonesia.
Combating TB is paramount as the drop out and relapse of patients are still high. This study aimed to
explore the experience of tuberculosis patients who had relapsed. The qualitative method with
phenomenological approach was used in this study. Ten participants, with relapse of TB visiting the
out patient of pulmonology departement in a respiratory hospital in Jakarta were selected using the
purposive sampling and interviewed using semi- structured questions. The data were analysed using
conventional content analysis. This study found four themes: the perception of tuberculosis, the
impact of tuberculosis on patients, the challenge of TB patients during their treatment and the support
from family.These results of this study can be used as the information for the healthcare workers to
improve TB program such as, increasing health education program, so that the prevalence of the
relapse in TB patients can be reduced.
