## 5 Discussion  
A patient with tuberculosis must face not only the difficulties posed by symptoms and treatment but also the social challenges brought on by stigma, lack of knowledge about the disease, and the economic burden felt by both the patient and their family. As a result, managing tuberculosis requires a multidisciplinary approach, involving teams with specialists from various fields [14]. A 2023 meta-analysis [15] evaluates the psychosocial support provided across multiple published studies, based on the WHO's definition of such support as a combination of psychological assistance (e.g., counseling sessions, peer support, and health education) and/or material aid (e.g., cash transfers, transport vouchers, food coupons, food packages, or supplements) [16]. Financial Support in Tuberculosis Patient Care  
The meta-analysis revealed that financial support for tuberculosis (TB) patients provided low-quality evidence of a beneficial effect on treatment success (OR 2.11, 95% CI 1.45-3.06; 1933 participants; four NRSIs, I\({}^{2}\) = 54%), alongside a serious risk of bias. These findings somewhat contradict the observations from our study, which highlight a reduced risk of treatment abandonment among recipients of financial support. The discrepancy may stem from differences in how support was delivered, particularly when combined effectively with other psychosocial interventions. In Romania, financial aid was provided through food vouchers, restricting use to food purchases and thus limiting fund misuse. Another critical aspect was the conditionality of the financial support, which depended on the number of treatment days completed. We believe this conditional approach may play a key role in motivating patients to adhere to treatment. Tuberculosis Patient Education  
Published studies offer low- to very-low-quality evidence regarding interventions that solely provide health education, showing no significant beneficial effect on tuberculosis treatment irrespective of the patient's progress [17]. Moreover, our study emphasizes practical interventions centered on concrete psychological and social strategies, as education alone is not suitable in a condition that generally follows a favorable and limited course when treatment is fully completed. A study from Peru assessed financial support combined with psychosocial interventions, reporting higher treatment success among individuals from \"poorer households\" compared to those from \"less poor\" households [18]. Similarly, our findings highlight that adherence to treatment among disadvantaged groups increased significantly when supported by this comprehensive approach--with 98.95% benefiting from financial assistance, 90.64% receiving psychological interventions, and 91.01% engaging in social support. Supporting TB Patients with Mental Health Conditions  
When tuberculosis (TB) occurs alongside mental health disorders, improving treatment outcomes often requires a multifaceted approach that includes health education, counseling, and peer support. These psychosocial interventions can be especially valuable and transformative for patients with drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) and mental health comorbidities [19; 20]. In our patient group, self-reported mental disorders were generally similar across different categories: approximately 9.5-10% in TB drug-susceptible (TB-DS) and 8.3-12.1% in DR-TB patients. However, the prevalence was notably higher at 33.3% among homeless DR-TB patients, a category where alcohol use was reported in 50% of cases and smoking in 33.3%. Non-adherence to TB treatment is a major contributor to the development of multidrug-resistant TB. When mental health issues are present, there is a strong correlation between psychological problems and treatment non-compliance, emphasizing the need for timely, coordinated interventions that address both conditions with appropriate treatment strategies [21,22]. Treatment Adherence in Vulnerable Groups  
Most patients included in the study originate from rural areas, where the overall cure rate is higher.