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Wademan DT, Mainga T, Gondwe M, Ayles H, Shanaube K, Mureithi L, Bond V, Hoddinott G. 'TB is a disease which hides in the body': Qualitative data on conceptualisations of tuberculosis recurrence among patients in Zambia and South Africa. Glob Public Health 2021; 17:1713-1727. [PMID: 34187320 DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2021.1940235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The WHO estimates 58 million people experienced one or more TB disease episodes between 2000 and 2018. These 'former TB patients' are at greater risk of future TB infection and death than TB naïve people. Additionally, former TB patients experience social, psychological, and physiological difficulties after microbiological cure. Drawing on semi-structured interviews collected with 28 people from communities in Zambia (n = 8) and South Africa (n = 2) between October 2018 and March 2019, we describe their perceptions of having two or more TB episodes. Utilising a discursive analytic approach, we interrogated how participants conceptualise their risk of disease recurrence. Despite being surprised by subsequent TB episodes, participants utilised their bodily experiences of TB signs and symptoms alongside their experiential knowledge of health systems processes to procure timely diagnosis and care. Yet, many participants were unable to resume social and economic participation. Experiences of multiple TB episodes and correlating social, economic, and physiological vulnerabilities, challenged participants biomedical understanding of TBs curability. Through notions of dirt and 'staining', participants conceptualise TB as a sinister, malicious presence they are bound to encounter time and again. Health providers should discuss the risk of TB recurrence with patients and promote prevention, early detection, and diagnosis of TB disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dillon T Wademan
- Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa
| | - Tila Mainga
- Zambart, School of Public Health, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Melleh Gondwe
- Zambart, School of Public Health, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Helen Ayles
- Zambart, School of Public Health, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.,Department of Clinical Research, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Kwame Shanaube
- Zambart, School of Public Health, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Linda Mureithi
- Health Systems Research Unit, Health Systems Trust, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Virginia Bond
- Zambart, School of Public Health, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.,Department of Global Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Graeme Hoddinott
- Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa
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