Effect of missed clinic visits on treatment outcomes among people with tuberculosis: a quasi-experimental study utilizing instrumental variable analysis.

Objectives: Missed clinic visits disrupt the continuity of care and potentially impact tuberculosis (TB) treatment outcomes negatively. We evaluated the effect of missed clinic visits on mortality and treatment success among people with bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary TB in rural eastern Uganda.

Methods: Using routine TB clinic data, we designed a quasi-experimental study and used instrumental variable analysis to estimate a cause-effect.

Assessing the quality of drinking water from selected water sources in Mbarara city, South-western Uganda.

This study assessed the physical, chemical, and microbiological quality with emphasis on risk score, source apportionment, geochemistry, feacal coliforms and water quality index of drinking water from selected water sources. A cross-sectional study was conducted in six villages in Mbarara city, south-western Uganda. Each selected source was inspected using a WHO-adopted sanitary inspection questionnaire.

Voluntariness of consent in paediatric HIV clinical trials: a mixed-methods, cross-sectional study of participants in the CHAPAS-4 and ODYSSEY trials in Uganda.

Objectives: To examine the voluntariness of consent in paediatric HIV clinical trials and the associated factors.

Design: Mixed-methods, cross-sectional study combining a quantitative survey conducted concurrently with indepth interviews.

Setting And Participants: From January 2021 to April 2021, we interviewed parents of children on first-line or second-line Anti-retroviral therapy (ART) in two ongoing paediatric HIV clinical trials [CHAPAS-4 (ISRCTN22964075) and ODYSSEY (ISRCTN91737921)] at the Joint Clinical Research Centre Mbarara, Uganda.

Diagnostic accuracy of paper-based reporting of tuberculosis treatment outcomes in rural eastern Uganda.

Inaccurate reporting of tuberculosis (TB) data to the district and national TB control programmes undermines effective TB control, yet this remains understudied. This study assessed the accuracy of the paper-based approach compared with the World Health Organization (WHO) standard TB treatment outcome as the gold standard for the determination of TB treatment outcome. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of the paper-based approach, as well as the percentage agreement between the paper-based approach and the WHO standard TB treatment outcome, are reported.

Association between GeneXpert Diagnosis and Same-Day Initiation of Tuberculosis Treatment in Rural Eastern Uganda.

Diagnosis of tuberculosis with GeneXpert and same-day initiation of tuberculosis treatment (SITT) has important public health and clinical benefits. GeneXpert allows for rapid diagnosis, hence presenting an opportunity for SITT. We determined the association between GeneXpert diagnosis and SITT, and the effect of SITT on treatment success rate among adult persons with bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis (BC-PTB) in rural eastern Uganda.

Sputum smear non-conversion among adult persons with bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis in rural eastern Uganda.

Rationale: Failure to convert sputum at two months of treatment among persons with bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis (BC-PTB) indicates poor response to treatment but data are limited on its assessment.

Objective: We determined the frequency and factors associated with sputum smear non-conversion at two months among persons with BC-PTB in eastern Uganda.

Methods: We abstracted data of adult persons with BC-PTB, from routinely available records from TB registers at 10 clinics in eastern Uganda.

Treatment success and mortality among adults with tuberculosis in rural eastern Uganda: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Successful treatment of tuberculosis leads to clinical and public health benefits such as reduction in transmission, complications, and mortality among patients. However, data are limited on treatment outcomes and the associated factors among persons with bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary (BC-PTB) in rural areas of high dual tuberculosis and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) burden countries such as Uganda. We investigated factors associated with successful treatment of tuberculosis and mortality among adult persons with BC-PTB in rural eastern Uganda.

Surveillance for multi-drug and rifampicin resistant tuberculosis and treatment outcomes among previously treated persons with tuberculosis in the era of GeneXpert in rural eastern Uganda.

Rationale: Previously treated persons with bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis (BC-PTB) have increased risk of developing multi-drug resistant or rifampicin resistant tuberculosis (MDR/RR-TB). Surveillance for resistance is critical to identify and treat MDR/RR-TB to ensure cure and prevent transmission. There are limited studies conducted on this subject.

Does completion of sputum smear monitoring have an effect on treatment success and cure rate among adult tuberculosis patients in rural Eastern Uganda? A propensity score-matched analysis.

Background: Tuberculosis is a global public health problem. Bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis (BC-PTB) patients require three sputum smear monitoring (SSM) tests to establish cure or treatment success, but few studies have assessed the relationship. We evaluated the effect of completing SSM on treatment success rate (TSR) among adult BC-PTB patients in rural eastern Uganda.

Explaining the successes and failures of tuberculosis treatment programs; a tale of two regions in rural eastern Uganda.

Background: Optimally performing tuberculosis (TB) programs are characterized by treatment success rate (TSR) of at least 90%. In rural eastern Uganda, and elsewhere in sub Saharan Africa, TSR varies considerably across district TB programs and the reasons for the differences are unclear. This study explored factors associated with the low and high TSR across four districts in rural eastern Uganda.

Treatment supporters and level of health facility influence completion of sputum smear monitoring among tuberculosis patients in rural Uganda: A mixed-methods study.

Objectives: To investigate whether treatment supporters influence the completion of sputum smear monitoring (SSM) among adult persons with bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis (BC-PTB), and to explore the reasons for incomplete SSM according to healthcare workers, persons with BC-PTB, and their treatment supporters in rural eastern Uganda.

Methods: A mixed-methods design was used. Quantitative data were abstracted from tuberculosis unit registers, while qualitative data were obtained through key informant interviews with healthcare workers and in-depth interviews with persons with BC-PTB and their treatment supporters.

Treatment success rate among adult pulmonary tuberculosis patients in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: To summarise treatment success rate (TSR) among adult bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis (BC-PTB) patients in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Design: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Google Scholar and Web of Science electronic databases for eligible studies published in the decade between 1 July 2008 and 30 June 2018. Two independent reviewers extracted data and disagreements were resolved by consensus with a third reviewer.

Integration of HIV-Sexual Reproductive Health Services for Young People and the Barriers at Public Health Facilities in Mbarara Municipality, Southwestern Uganda: A Qualitative Assessment.

Background: Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) and HIV risk behaviors for young people are intertwined. This rationalizes the need for integration of HIV and SRH services within the health care system, especially in countries with high HIV burden. In this study, we explored the current status of HIV-SRH integration for young people and barriers of integration from different stakeholders at public health facilities in Mbarara Municipality, southwestern Uganda.

Protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis of treatment success rate among adult patients with tuberculosis in sub-Saharan Africa.

Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) is a leading cause of mortality globally. Despite being curable, treatment success rates (TSRs) among adult patients with bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary TB (BC-PTB) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) differ considerably. This protocol documents and presents an explicit plan of a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarise TSR among adult patients with BC-PTB in SSA.