The relationship between the patient and all members of the TB control programme team is enhanced by having bilingual and bicultural staff if the patient population speaks languages other than the dominant one. Another important practices is to have staff treat patients as if they are the most important persons to the programme, without regard to economic or legal status, race or ethnicity, or personal beliefs. Although there may be a prejudice among health professionals and the public to judge certain patients as more likely to be non-adherent, studies have shown that non-adherence is difficult to predict. One's age, sex, race or ethnicity, socioeconomic status, level of education, occupation, income, marital status, or religious beliefs have not been shown to be predictive adherence.
