Assessment of TB underreporting by level of reporting system in Lagos, Nigeria

BACKGROUND: Nigeria has an estimated TB prevalence of 219 per 100,000 population. In 2019, Nigeria diagnosed and notified 27% of the WHO-estimated cases of all forms of TB and contributed 11% of the missing TB cases globally.OBJECTIVE: To assess TB underreporting by type and level of health facility (HF), and associated factors in Lagos State, Nigeria.METHODOLOGY: Quantitative secondary data analysis of TB cases was conducted in 2015. χ2 test was used to assess the association between treatment initiation, TB underreporting, local government area (LGA) and HF characteristics.RESULTS: Overall, 2,064 persons with bacteriologically confirmed TB (15.5%) were not matched to patients in sampled TB registers. Treatment status was unknown for 86 cases (IQR 55–97) per LGA. LGAs with higher case-loads had higher proportions of cases with unknown TB status. Discrepant reporting of treated TB was also common (60% HFs). Primary-level TB treatment facilities and unengaged private facilities were less likely to notify.CONCLUSION: There was TB under-reporting across all types and levels of HFs and LGAs. There is a need to revise or strengthen the process of supervision and data quality assurance system at all levels

Depression, stigma and quality of life in people with drug-susceptible TB and drug-resistant TB in Vietnam

BACKGROUND: Drug resistance poses a major barrier to global control of TB - a leading infectious cause of death. Depression and stigma occur commonly among people with TB. However, the relationship between drug-resistant forms of TB, depression and stigma are not well understood.OBJECTIVE: To compare depression, stigma and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), among people with drug-susceptible TB (DS-TB) and multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB).METHODS: A cross-sectional study of people treated for DS-TB and MDR-TB in four provinces of Vietnam. The survey included a stigma scale (Vietnamese Tuberculosis Stigma Scale), depression scale (9-item Patient Health Questionnaire) and HRQoL scale (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy - Tuberculosis). Differences between the two populations were compared using linear regression.RESULTS: Eighty-one people with DS-TB and 315 people with MDR-TB participated in the study. People with MDR-TB had a higher prevalence of depression than those with DS-TB (difference 17.8%, χ² 8.64). The mean depression and stigma scores were higher for people with MDR-TB than those with DS-TB (adjusted difference [AD] 8.6 and 7.6 respectively). People with MDR-TB reported lower HRQoL than those with DS-TB (AD -23.8).CONCLUSION: Depression and stigma are common among people with TB in Vietnam. Strategies to prevent and treat depressive symptoms and stigma in people with TB are critical to a holistic, patient-centred approach to care.

ScreenTB: a tool for prioritising risk groups and selecting algorithms for screening for active tuberculosis

SETTING AND OBJECTIVES: There is an urgent need to improve tuberculosis (TB) case detection globally. This would require greater focus on the implementation of TB screening programs. However, to be productive, cost-effective, and ethical, TB screening efforts should be tailored to their local context, targeted to the populations most likely to benefit and utilizing diagnostic tools with sufficient accuracy.DESIGN AND RESULTS: We have developed an online tool, ScreenTB to help National TB Programmes (NTPs) and their partners plan TB screening activities by modeling the potential outcomes of screening programs, including yield of TB cases diagnosed (true- and false-positives), costs, and cost-effectiveness, specific to the populations screened and the diagnostic algorithms used. In Myanmar, ScreenTB was used to assist the NTP in prioritizing risk groups for screening efforts and selecting appropriate screening algorithms to maximize case detection and minimize false-positive diagnoses.CONCLUSION: The ScreenTB tool can help facilitate the prioritization of risk groups for screening and the selection of appropriate screening algorithms. This is useful when used as part of a larger planning process that considers feasibility of screening, vulnerability of risk groups, potential impact of screening on TB transmission, human rights implications of screening and equity in health care access.

Correlates of observing and willingness to report stigma towards HIV clients by (TB) health workers in Africa

SETTING

Health care facilities in Kenya, Tanzania and Namibia.

OBJECTIVE

To study the factors associated with the observation of and willingness to report stigmatising behaviour towards persons living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among health care workers (HCWs).

DESIGN

Mixed-effect logistic regression analyses of 9516 HCW interviews, including those of 4062 (43%) TB workers carried out as part of the Service Provision Assessments (SPAs) between 2006 and 2010.

RESULT

Discrimination (i.e., enacted stigma) was observed by respectively 1042 (60%), 384 (40%) and 907 (69%) TB workers in Kenya, Namibia and Tanzania, similar to the trend observed among all HCWs. Observations of discrimination were clustered at facility level in Kenya, and mapping of facility-level discrimination suggested geographic clustering. HCWs were more likely to observe discrimination in facilities without regular supportive supervision (adjusted OR [aOR] 2.33, 95%CI 1.09-4.96). No HCW characteristics were found to predict intention to report. Training in patients' rights and in confidentiality predisposed HCWs to recognise discrimination (aOR 2.51, 95%CI 1.19-5.28) and the willingness to report it (aOR 2.23, 95%CI 1.11-4.47). Exposure to training in TB infection control (IC) was associated with greater willingness to report discrimination (aOR 2.13, 95%CI 1.03-4.39).

CONCLUSION

Supervision and exposure to training in patient's rights and confidentiality improved HCWs' understanding and advocacy of dignified and respectful TB-HIV care. All HCWs are equally likely to be allies, agents of change and amplifiers of an anti-stigma message, and broad engagement is required. Innovative approaches to reduce discrimination-while ensuring proper IC-should be explored.

Evidence-based interventions to reduce tuberculosis stigma: a systematic review

SETTING

While substantial progress is being made in tuberculosis (TB) control, the success of public health efforts is hampered by pervasive stigma.

OBJECTIVE

To perform a systematic literature review to assess the effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing TB stigma in patients, health care workers, care givers and the general community.

DESIGN

Studies were eligible for inclusion if they evaluated interventions aimed at reducing TB stigma and were published between 1950 and 2015. We searched eight databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Ovid, Embase, PsycInfo, Sociological Abstracts, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, World Health Organization Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature), and complemented the searches by using the snowball strategy and by reviewing relevant grey literature.

RESULTS

Only seven studies were identified as providing quantitative (n = 4) or qualitative (n = 3) evidence of effectiveness in reducing TB stigma. Quality assessment of the studies was poor. Knowledge-shaping and attitude-changing interventions aimed at the public, patients and their families were effective in reducing anticipated stigma. Home visits and support groups were effective in reducing both anticipated and internalised stigma.

CONCLUSION

There is a dearth of reliable information on the effectiveness of TB stigma-reduction interventions. Knowledge-shaping, attitude-changing and patient-support interventions can be effective in reducing TB stigma, but more rigorous evaluations are needed.

Using 15 DHS surveys to study epidemiological correlates of TB courtesy stigma and health-seeking behaviour

SETTING

Tuberculosis (TB) stigma is thought to delay or prevent the decision to seek health care, but the strength of this association and the prevalence of anticipated TB stigma in the general population in most countries is unknown.

OBJECTIVE

To examine epidemiological, cultural and sociodemographic factors associated with TB courtesy stigma in 15 surveys across 13 countries, and its link to health seeking for cough in children under five.

DESIGN

A multilevel survey weighted logistic regression model was used to analyse how individual characteristics and social contexts affect the occurrence of TB courtesy stigma. The same modelling approach was used to analyse associations between TB courtesy stigma and individual-level predictors of health-seeking behaviour of mothers for children with cough.

RESULTS

TB courtesy stigma varies greatly among countries. TB courtesy stigma was negatively correlated with knowledge of TB's curability (adjusted OR [aOR] 0.82; 95%CI 0.78-0.86) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) accepting attitudes (proxy for HIV stigma) (aOR 0.15, 95%CI 0.15-0.16). Mothers' health-seeking behaviour for children under five with cough was found to be positively correlated with HIV accepting attitudes (OR 1.16, 95%CI 1.08-1.25), but was marginally affected by TB courtesy stigma (OR 0.99, 95%CI 0.98-1.00).

CONCLUSION

Improving the general awareness of the effectiveness of anti-tuberculosis treatment will help to diminish TB courtesy stigma, and should be prioritised over expanding knowledge of mode of transmission. Efforts to reduce HIV and TB stigma may increase care seeking for childhood TB symptoms.

Community referral for presumptive TB in Nigeria: a comparison of four models of active case finding

Background

Engagement of communities and civil society organizations is a critical part of the Post-2015 End TB Strategy. Since 2007, many models of community referral have been implemented to boost TB case detection in Nigeria. Yet clear insights into the comparative TB yield from particular approaches have been limited.

Methods

We compared four models of active case finding in three Nigerian states. Data on presumptive TB case referral by community workers (CWs), TB diagnoses among referred clients, active case finding model characteristics, and CWs compensation details for 2012 were obtained from implementers and CWs via interviews and log book review. Self-reported performance data were triangulated against routine surveillance data to assess concordance. Analysis focused on assessing the predictors of presumptive TB referral.

Results

CWs referred 4–22 % of presumptive TB clients tested, and 4–24 % of the total TB cases detected. The annual median referral per CW ranged widely among the models from 1 to 48 clients, with an overall average of 13.4 referrals per CW. The highest median referrals (48 per CW/yr) and mean TB diagnoses (7.1/yr) per CW (H =70.850, p < 0.001) was obtained by the model with training supervision, and $80/quarterly payments (Comprehensive Quotas-Oriented model). The model with irregularly supervised, trained, and compensated CWs contributed the least to TB case detection with a median of 13 referrals per CW/yr and mean of 0.53 TB diagnoses per CW/yr. Hours spent weekly on presumptive TB referral made the strongest unique contribution (Beta = 0.514, p < 0.001) to explaining presumptive TB referral after controlling for other variables.

Conclusion

All community based TB case-finding projects studied referred a relative low number of symptomatic individuals. The study shows that incentivized referral, appropriate selection of CWs, supportive supervision, leveraged treatment support roles, and a responsive TB program to receive clients for testing were the key drivers of community TB case finding.

Tuberculosis knowledge, attitudes and health-seeking behaviour in rural Uganda

OBJECTIVES

To assess tuberculosis (TB) knowledge, attitudes and health-seeking behaviour to inform the design of communication and social mobilisation interventions.

SETTING

Iganga/Mayuge Demographic Surveillance Site, Uganda.

DESIGN

Between June and July 2008, 18 focus group discussions and 12 key informant interviews were conducted, including parents of infants and adolescents and key informant interviews with community leaders, traditional healers and patients with TB.

RESULTS

People viewed TB as contagious, but not necessarily an airborne pathogen. Popular TB aetiologies included sharing utensils, heavy labour, smoking, bewitchment and hereditary transmission. TB patients were perceived to seek care late or to avoid care. Combining care from traditional healers and the biomedical system was common. Poverty, drug stock-outs, fear of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing and length of TB treatment negatively affect health-seeking behaviour. Stigma and avoidance of persons with TB often reflects an assumption of HIV co-infection.

CONCLUSION

The community's concerns about pill burden, quality of care, financial barriers, TB aetiology, stigma and preference for pluralistic care need to be addressed to improve early detection. Health education messages should emphasise the curability of TB, the feasibility of treatment and the engagement of traditional healers as partners in identifying cases and facilitating adherence to treatment.

Health-seeking norms for tuberculosis symptoms in southern Angola: implications for behaviour change communications

SETTING

A passive case-finding strategy as present in the DOTS strategy presupposes a patient's willingness to seek care. This requires awareness of tuberculosis (TB) symptoms and the diagnostic process, and positive attitudes towards access and probability of cure.

OBJECTIVE

To measure parameters of health-seeking intention in Southern Angola and to inform the design of context-specific interventions to improve case detection.

DESIGN

A survey in four communities based on the cough-to-cure pathway represented by five domains with either one or two proxy measures. These were assessed for association with appropriate health-seeking behaviour (visiting a medical institution or service).

RESULTS

In total, 805 individuals were included in the study. Appropriate health-seeking behaviour was positively associated with knowing the disease (OR 3.1, 95%CI 1.4-6.8), knowing key symptoms (OR 1.4, 95%CI 1.0-1.9), perceived curability (OR 1.3, 95%CI 1.0-1.6), and the perception that TB services were free of charge (OR 1.9, 95%CI 1.4-2.7). Respondents who perceived a personal risk for TB were less likely to have an appropriate intended health-seeking behaviour (OR 0.7, 95%CI 0.5-0.9).

CONCLUSION

Knowledge about TB should include key symptoms, perceived curability and information on access to services when designing interventions to improve case detection. The study highlights the importance of advocacy, social mobilisation and communication strategies.

Correlates of condom use among sexually experienced secondary-school male students in Nairobi, Kenya

This study aimed to examine perceptual factors associated with condom use, and the relationship between condom use and the timing of sexual debut among male secondary school students in Nairobi, Kenya. Data are from the TeenWeb study, a school-based project that used the World Wide Web to assess the health needs of secondary school students, and tested the web's utility as a teaching and research modality. Analyses are based on 214 sexually experienced males aged 14 - 20 years who completed web-based questionnaires about their sexual attitudes and behaviour. Results indicate that students did not see themselves as susceptible to HIV/AIDS and believed condom effectiveness in preventing HIV to be low. Consequently, only a marginal association was found between agreeing that buying condoms is embarrassing and condom use at first sexual intercourse. However, contrary to expectation, agreeing that condoms often break (almost half of participants) was associated with a higher likelihood of condom use at first sex. Each year of delay in sexual debut increased the likelihood of using a condom at first sex by 1.44 times. In turn, having used a condom at first sex increased the likelihood of using one at the most recent sex by 4.81 times, and elevated general condom use ('most or all the time') by 8.76 times. Interventions to increase awareness about the role of condoms in preventing HIV, delay sexual initiation, and teach proper condom use among secondary-school students in Nairobi are needed.