Identifying gaps in the quality of latent tuberculosis infection care

How can we improve latent tuberculosis infection management using behaviour change wheel: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

To ensure the effective delivery of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) care, it is vital to overcome potential challenges in LTBI management. This systematic review aims to identify the barriers and interventions to improve LTBI management using the Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation-Behaviour (COM-B) model and Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW).

METHODS

A systematic literature search was performed on five electronic databases from database inception to 3 November 2021. A two-step technique was used in the data synthesis process: (i) the barriers of LTBI management were identified using the COM-B model, followed by (ii) mapping of intervention functions from BCW to address the identified barriers.

RESULTS

Forty-seven eligible articles were included in this review. The findings highlighted the need for a multifaceted approach in tackling the barriers in LTBI management across the public, provider and system levels. The barriers were summarized into suboptimal knowledge and misperception of LTBI, as well as stigma and psychosocial burden, which could be overcome with a combination of intervention functions, targeting education, environment restructuring, persuasion, modelling, training, incentivization and enablement.

CONCLUSIONS

The remedial strategies using BCW to facilitate policy reforms in LTBI management could serve as a value-added initiative in the global tuberculosis control and prevention program.

Introduction of short course treatment for latent tuberculosis infection at a primary care facility for refugees in Winnipeg, Canada: A mixed methods evaluation

Background

The World Health Organization (WHO) End TB strategy document 'Toward tuberculosis elimination: an action framework for low incidence countries'-like Canada- identifies screening and treatment of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) for groups at increased risk for TB disease as a priority, including newcomers from endemic countries. In 2015, the clients-centered model offered at a primary care facility for refugees, BridgeCare Clinic, Winnipeg, Canada was evaluated. The model included LTBI screening, assessment, and treatment, and originally offered 9-months of isoniazid as treatment. This mixed methods evaluation investigates LTBI program outcomes since the introduction of two short-course treatment regimens: 4-months of rifampin, and 3-months of isoniazid and rifapentine.

Methods

This study combined a retrospective analysis of program administrative data with structured interviews of clinic staff. We included LTBI treatment eligibility, the treatment regimen offered, treatment initiation, and completed treatment from January 1, 2015 to August 6, 2020.

Results

Seven hundred and one people were screened, and infection rates varied from 34.1% in 2015 to 53.3% in 2020. Most people living with LTBI came from high TB burden countries in Africa and South-East Asia WHO regions and were younger than 45 years old. Treatment eligibility increased 9% (75% in 2015 to 86% in 2016-2020) and most people diagnosed with LTBI took the short course treatments offered. There was an increase of 14.5% in treatment initiation (75.6 vs. 90.1%), and an increase of 8% in treatment completion (82.4 vs. 90.4%) after short-course regimens were introduced. The final model showed that the treatment regimen tends to affect the frequency of treatment completion, but there are other factors that influence this outcome, in this population. With the new treatments, BridgeCare Clinic achieved the 90% of treatment coverage, and the 90% treatment completion rate targets recommended in the End TB Strategy. Qualitative interviews with clinic staff further affirm the higher acceptability of the new treatments.

Conclusion

While these results are limited to government-sponsored refugees in Winnipeg, they highlight the acceptability and value of short-course LTBI treatment as a possibility for reaching End TB targets in primary care settings.

Latent Tuberculosis Cascade of Care Among Healthcare Workers: A Nationwide Cohort Analysis in Korea Between 2017 and 2018

BACKGROUND

In 2017, Korea implemented nationwide latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) project targeting healthcare workers (HCWs). We aimed to assess its performance using the cascade of care model.

METHODS

We included 45,503 employees of medical institutions with positive interferon-gamma release assay result who participated between March 2017 and December 2018. We described percentages of LTBI participants completing each step in the cascade of care. Poisson regression model was conducted to assess individual characteristics and factors associated with not-visiting clinics for further care, not-initiating LTBI treatment, and not-completing treatment.

RESULTS

Proportions of visiting clinics and initiating and completing treatment in HCWs were 54.9%, 38.5%, and 32.0%, respectively. Despite of less likelihood of visiting clinics and initiating LTBI treatment, older age ≥ 65 years were more likely to complete treatment (adjusted relative risk [aRR], 0.80; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.64-0.99), compared to young age < 35 years. Compared to nurses, doctors were less likely to visit clinic; however, were more likely to initiate treatment (aRR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.81-0.96). Those who visited public health centers were associated with not-initiating treatment (aRR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.29-1.40). When treated at private hospitals, 9-month isoniazid monotherapy was less likely to complete treatment, compared to 3-month isoniazid and rifampicin combination therapy (aRR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.16-1.53).

CONCLUSION

Among employees of medical institutions with LTBI, only one third completed treatment. Age, occupation, treatment center, and initial regimen were significantly related to LTBI treatment performance indicators. Rifampicin-based short treatment regimens were effective under standard of care.

Framing the Detection of Incipient Tuberculosis Infection: a qualitative study of political prioritization

Objective

Incipient Tuberculosis (ITB) refers to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection that is likely to progress to active disease in the absence of treatment, but without clinical signs, symptoms, radiographic or microbiological evidence of disease. Biomarker‐based tests to diagnose incipient TB hold promise for better prediction and, through TB preventive therapy, prevention of disease. This study explored current and future framing and prioritisation of ITB.

Methods

Twenty‐two interviews across eight countries were conducted. A modified Shiffman & Smith Framework, containing four categories—Ideas, Issue Characteristics, Actor Power, and Political Contexts—was used to analyse the current landscape and potential for prioritisation of diagnosis and treatment of ITB.

Results

Latent TB policy implementation has been slow due to technical, logistical and financial challenges, and because it has been framed in a manner non‐conducive to gaining political priority. Framing ITB testing as ‘early detection’ rather than ‘prediction’, and its management as ‘treatment’ rather than ‘preventive therapy’, may help raise its importance in policies, and its acceptance among actors.

Conclusion

Consensus surrounding the framing of ITB will be crucial for the successful adoption of ITB diagnostics and treatment. When designing ITB tools and policies, it will be important to address challenges that pertain to latent TB policies.

Implementing the 4R and 9H regimens for TB preventive treatment in Indonesia

BACK GROUND:

The implementation of tuberculosis preventive treatment (TPT) is challenging especially in resource-limited settings. As part of a Phase 3 trial on TPT, we described our experience with the use of rifampicin for 4 months (4R) and isoniazid for 9 months (9H) in Indonesia.

METHODS:

In 2011–2017, children and adults with latent TB infection were randomised to either 4R or 9H and followed until 16 months after randomisation for children and 28 months for adults. The primary outcome was the treatment completion rate. Secondary outcomes were Grade 3–5 adverse events (AEs), active TB occurrence, and health costs.

RESULTS:

A total of 157 children and 860 adults were enrolled. The 4R treatment completion rate was significantly higher than that of 9H (78.7% vs. 65.5%), for a rate difference of 13.2% (95% CI 7.1–19.2). No Grade 3–5 AEs were reported in children; in adults, it was lower in 4R (0.4%) compared to 9H (2.8%). The incidence of active TB was lower with 4R than with 9H (0.09/100 person-year vs. 0.36/100 person-year) (rate difference: −0.36/100 person-year). The total cost per patient was lower for the 4R regimen than for the 9H regimen (USD151.9 vs. USD179.4 in adults and USD152.9 vs. USD206.5 in children)

CONCLUSIONS:

Completion and efficacy rates for 4R were better than for 9H. Compared to 9H, 4R was cheaper in all age groups, safer in adults and equally safe in children. The Indonesian TB program could benefit from these benefits of the 4R regimen.

Evaluating the Quality of Latent Tuberculosis Infection Screening in Ireland: A Single-Centre Retrospective Cohort Study

Ireland is a country with a low incidence of tuberculosis (TB) (5.6 cases per 100,000 population in 2019) that should be aiming for TB elimination (fewer than 1 case per million of population). To achieve TB elimination in low-incidence countries, programmatic latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) management is important. This requires high-quality latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) screening. Aim: To assess the quality of LTBI screening in a tertiary centre in Ireland using a framework. Methods: A retrospective review of the health care records of patients screened for TB in a tertiary centre in Ireland using an interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) between 2016 and 2018 was performed. Three domains from the Institute of Medicine framework for health care quality, effectiveness, efficiency, and equity, were applied to measure the quality of LTBI screening. Results: Forty patients had LTBI and an indication for treatment, of whom 20% (8/40) were not offered treatment by the health care provider, 2.5% (1/40) did not accept treatment, and 10% (4/40) did not complete treatment. Seventy-five percent (6/8) of patients not offered treatment were non-Irish. The cost of screening per LTBI case identified was EUR 2048. Conclusions: This study evaluated the quality of LTBI screening using a framework and identified that LTBI screening in this tertiary centre needs to be scaled and expanded, and that treatment initiation needs to be improved, particularly among non-Irish nationals.

How to Effectively Identify Patients With Rifampin-Resistant Tuberculosis in China: Perspectives of Stakeholders Among Service Providers

To evaluate China's current rifampin-resistant tuberculosis (RR-TB) screening strategy from stakeholders' perspectives, the perceptions, attitudes, and interests of 245 stakeholders from three eastern, central, and western China provinces on RR-TB screening strategies, were investigated through stakeholder survey and interview. The attitudes toward three RR-TB screening strategies were statistically different: inclination to choose who to screen (Z = 98.477; P < 0.001), funding for rapid diagnostic technology screening either by reimbursed health insurance or directly subsidized financial assistance (Z = 4.142, P < 0.001), and respondents' attitude during RR-TB screening implementation levels (Z = 2.380, P = 0.017). In conclusion, RR-TB screening scope could be expanded by applying rapid diagnostic technologies. Provinces with different economic status could adjust their screening policies accordingly.

A scoping review of paediatric latent tuberculosis infection care cascades: initial steps are lacking

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Identifying and treating children with latent tuberculosis infection (TB infection) is critical to prevent progression to TB disease and to eliminate TB globally. Diagnosis and treatment of TB infection requires completion of a sequence of steps, collectively termed the TB infection care cascade. There has been no systematic attempt to comprehensively summarise literature on the paediatric TB infection care cascade.

METHODS

We performed a scoping review of the paediatric TB infection care cascade. We systematically searched PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Cochrane and Embase databases. We reviewed articles and meeting abstracts that included children and adolescents ≤21 years old who were screened for or diagnosed with TB infection, and which described completion of at least one step of the cascade. We synthesised studies to identify facilitators and barriers to retention, interventions to mitigate attrition and knowledge gaps.

RESULTS

We identified 146 studies examining steps in the paediatric TB infection care cascade; 31 included children living in low-income and middle-income countries. Most literature described the final cascade step (treatment initiation to completion). Studies identified an array of patient and caregiver-related factors associated with completion of cascade steps. Few health systems factors were evaluated as potential predictors of completion, and few interventions to improve retention were specifically tested.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified strengths and gaps in the literature describing the paediatric TB infection care cascade. Future research should examine cascade steps upstream of treatment initiation and focus on identification and testing of at-risk paediatric patients. Additionally, future studies should focus on modifiable health systems factors associated with attrition and may benefit from use of behavioural theory and implementation science methods to improve retention.