scholarly journals Causes of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis from the perspectives of health providers: challenges and strategies for adherence to treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ludmilla Leidianne Limirio Souza ◽  
Felipe Lima dos Santos ◽  
Juliane de Almeida Crispim ◽  
Regina Célia Fiorati ◽  
Sónia Dias ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a serious phenomenon on a global scale that can worsen with the COVID-19 pandemic. The study aimed to understand the perceptions of health professionals about MDR-TB, their strategies to ensure adherence to treatment and their challenges in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in a priority municipality for disease control. Methods We conducted a qualitative study and recruited 14 health providers (four doctors, three nurses, three nursing technicians, three nursing assistants and a social worker) working in a city in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Remote semi-structured interviews were conducted with the participants. For data analysis, the thematic content analysis technique was applied according to the study’s theoretical framework. Results The study revealed the causes of MDR-TB are associated with poverty, vulnerability, and social risk. A pre-judgement from the providers was observed, namely, all patients do not adhere due their resistance and association with drug abuse or alcoholism. The study also observed difficulty among health providers in helping patients reconstruct and reframe their life projects under a care perspective, which would strengthen adherence. Other issues that weakened adherence were the cuts in social protection and the benefits really necessary to the patients and a challenge for the providers manage that. The participants revealed that their actions were impacted by the pandemic and insecurity and fear manifested by patients after acquiring COVID-19. For alleviating this, medical appointments by telephone, delivery of medicine in the homes of patients and visits by health professionals once per week were provided. Conclusion The study advances knowledge by highlighting the challenges faced by the health system with the adherence of patients with MDR-TB in a context aggravated by the pandemic. An improvement in DOT is really necessary to help the patients reframe their lives without prejudices, face their fears and insecurity, recover their self-esteem and motivate in concluding their treatment.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ludmilla Leidianne Limirio Souza ◽  
Felipe Lima dos Santos ◽  
Juliane de Almeida Crispim ◽  
Regina Célia Fiorati ◽  
Sónia Dias ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND: Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) itself is a serious phenomenon on a global scale that can worsen with the COVID-19 pandemic. The study aimed to understand the perception of health professionals about multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, their strategies to ensure adherence to treatment and the challenges in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, in a priority municipality for disease control in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: We conducted a qualitative study and recruited fourteen health professionals, four doctors, three nurses, three nursing technicians, three nursing assistants and a social worker, working in the Ribeirão Preto health system. Remote semi-structured interviews were conducted with these professionals. For data analysis, Thematic Content Analysis was applied according to the theoretical framework defined for the study. RESULTS: The findings showed the relationship between poverty, inequality and MDR-TB. Concerning the COVID-19 pandemic, reports from professionals show an interference in the monitoring of patients. As for social protection and the benefits that covered the patients, they were cut. Professionals also reported concerns about obtaining COVID-19 and adopting strategies to ensure adherence, as well as reinforcements of the DOTS strategy. CONCLUSION: The study advances in knowledge by highlighting the challenges faced by the health system for the adherence of MDR-TB patients in a context aggravated by Pandemic. The strategies defined by these health professionals have somehow guaranteed the achievement of equity and avoided the catastrophic encounter between TB-MDR and COVID-19.


BMC Medicine ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chathika K Weerasuriya ◽  
Rebecca C Harris ◽  
C Finn McQuaid ◽  
Fiammetta Bozzani ◽  
Yunzhou Ruan ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Despite recent advances through the development pipeline, how novel tuberculosis (TB) vaccines might affect rifampicin-resistant and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (RR/MDR-TB) is unknown. We investigated the epidemiologic impact, cost-effectiveness, and budget impact of hypothetical novel prophylactic prevention of disease TB vaccines on RR/MDR-TB in China and India. Methods We constructed a deterministic, compartmental, age-, drug-resistance- and treatment history-stratified dynamic transmission model of tuberculosis. We introduced novel vaccines from 2027, with post- (PSI) or both pre- and post-infection (P&PI) efficacy, conferring 10 years of protection, with 50% efficacy. We measured vaccine cost-effectiveness over 2027–2050 as USD/DALY averted-against 1-times GDP/capita, and two healthcare opportunity cost-based (HCOC), thresholds. We carried out scenario analyses. Results By 2050, the P&PI vaccine reduced RR/MDR-TB incidence rate by 71% (UI: 69–72) and 72% (UI: 70–74), and the PSI vaccine by 31% (UI: 30–32) and 44% (UI: 42–47) in China and India, respectively. In India, we found both USD 10 P&PI and PSI vaccines cost-effective at the 1-times GDP and upper HCOC thresholds and P&PI vaccines cost-effective at the lower HCOC threshold. In China, both vaccines were cost-effective at the 1-times GDP threshold. P&PI vaccine remained cost-effective at the lower HCOC threshold with 49% probability and PSI vaccines at the upper HCOC threshold with 21% probability. The P&PI vaccine was predicted to avert 0.9 million (UI: 0.8–1.1) and 1.1 million (UI: 0.9–1.4) second-line therapy regimens in China and India between 2027 and 2050, respectively. Conclusions Novel TB vaccination is likely to substantially reduce the future burden of RR/MDR-TB, while averting the need for second-line therapy. Vaccination may be cost-effective depending on vaccine characteristics and setting.


2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (S1) ◽  
pp. 43-43
Author(s):  
Lijun Shen ◽  
Shangshang Gu ◽  
Fan Zhang ◽  
Zhao Liu ◽  
Yuehua Liu

IntroductionChina bears a considerably high burden of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Second-line anti-TB drugs are urgently needed yet domestic MDR-TB drugs are expensive and lack policy support. Patients’ living conditions are closely related to the drug affordability. The national TB prevention programs should play a critical role. The purpose of this study is to measure the cost of treating MDR-TB patients under different treatment schemes and price sources. The results of this study are expected to inform the relevant drug protection policies and provide inputs for further cost-effectiveness analyses.MethodsBased on the treatment plan of China's Multidrug-Resistant Pulmonary Tuberculosis Clinical Path (2012 edition) and the World Health Organization (WHO) Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis Treatment Guide (2018 edition), the treatment costs of MDR-TB were measured under different scenarios. Catastrophic health expenditure was then calculated if the treatment cost exceeds 40 percent of the household's non-subsistence income. National, rural and disposable income per capita in 2018, were used to represent Chinese patients’ affordability.ResultsUnder varied treatment schemes and market price sources in China, the total costs for MDR-TB patients range from 19,401 to 126,703 CNY [2,853 to 18,633 USD] per person. Under current prices, all treatment schemes recommended by the WHO will incur catastrophic costs for Chinese MDR-TB patients. Significant differences were found between rural and urban areas as 52.8 percent of the treatment listed in the 2012 China Guideline would lead to catastrophic cost for rural patients but not urban ones.ConclusionsOur study concludes that the domestic drugs are more expensive than the international purchase price and the treatment of MDR-TB imposes substantial economic burden on patients, especially in the rural areas. The results of the study also indicate that it is urgent for the state to emphasize government responsibility and initiate centralized procurement for price negotiations to reduce the market price of MDR-TB drugs. The urban-rural gap should also be addressed in the design of future policies to ensure the drug affordability for all patients in need.


2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 2
Author(s):  
Nang Thu Thu Kyaw ◽  
Aung Sithu ◽  
Srinath Satyanarayana ◽  
Ajay M. V. Kumar ◽  
Saw Thein ◽  
...  

Screening of household contacts of patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a crucial active TB case-finding intervention. Before 2016, this intervention had not been implemented in Myanmar, a country with a high MDR-TB burden. In 2016, a community-based screening of household contacts of MDR-TB patients using a systematic TB-screening algorithm (symptom screening and chest radiography followed by sputum smear microscopy and Xpert-MTB/RIF assays) was implemented in 33 townships in Myanmar. We assessed the implementation of this intervention, how well the screening algorithm was followed, and the yield of active TB. Data collected between April 2016 and March 2017 were analyzed using logistic and log-binomial regression. Of 620 household contacts of 210 MDR-TB patients enrolled for screening, 620 (100%) underwent TB symptom screening and 505 (81%) underwent chest radiography. Of 240 (39%) symptomatic household contacts, 71 (30%) were not further screened according to the algorithm. Children aged <15 years were less likely to follow the algorithm. Twenty-four contacts were diagnosed with active TB, including two rifampicin- resistant cases (yield of active TB = 3.9%, 95% CI: 2.3%–6.5%). The highest yield was found among children aged <5 years (10.0%, 95% CI: 3.6%–24.7%). Household contact screening should be strengthened, continued, and scaled up for all MDR-TB patients in Myanmar.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (7) ◽  
pp. e0236250
Author(s):  
Chador Tenzin ◽  
Natkamol Chansatitporn ◽  
Tashi Dendup ◽  
Tandin Dorji ◽  
Karma Lhazeen ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Benhur Joel Shadrach ◽  
Santosh Kumar ◽  
Kunal Deokar ◽  
Gajendra Vikram Singh ◽  
Hariharan ◽  
...  

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