Publications by authors named "Isabel Foster"

Background: Anticipated, internal, and enacted stigma are major barriers to tuberculosis (TB) care engagement and directly impact patient well-being. Unfortunately, targeted stigma interventions are lacking. We aimed to co-develop a person-centred stigma intervention with TB-affected community members and health workers in South Africa.

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Background: Though tuberculosis (TB)-related stigma is a recognized barrier to care, interventions are lacking, and gaps remain in understanding the drivers and experiences of TB-related stigma. We undertook community-based mixed methods stigma assessments to inform stigma intervention design.

Methods: We adapted the Stop TB Partnership stigma assessment tool and trained three peer research associates (PRAs; two TB survivors, one community health worker) to conduct surveys with people with TB (PWTB,  = 93) and caregivers of children with TB ( = 24) at peri-urban and rural clinic sites in Khayelitsha, Western Cape, and Hammanskraal, Gauteng Province, South Africa.

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Article Synopsis
  • Anticipated, internal, and enacted stigma surrounding tuberculosis (TB) significantly hinders patient care and well-being, prompting the need for targeted interventions co-developed with TB-affected individuals and health workers in South Africa.
  • Utilizing community-based participatory research, discussions were held with 87 participants in Khayelitsha to identify stigma drivers and potential solutions, emphasizing the importance of lived experiences of TB survivors in crafting effective messaging.
  • Recommended intervention strategies included education and support at various levels, such as counselling at the individual level, support clubs at the interpersonal level, training for health workers, community awareness events, and school curricula integration to combat stigma.
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Background: Though TB-related stigma is a recognized barrier to care, interventions are lacking and gaps remain in understanding the drivers and experiences of TB-related stigma. We undertook community-based mixed methods stigma assessments to inform stigma intervention design.

Methods: We adapted the Stop TB Partnership stigma assessment tool, and trained three peer research associates (PRAs; two TB survivors, one community health worker) to conduct surveys with people with TB (PWTB, n=93) and caregivers of children with TB (n=24) at peri-urban and rural clinic sites in Khayelitsha, Western Cape, and Hammanskraal, Gauteng Province, South Africa.

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Background: Prioritisation of research activities for infectious disease pathogens is usually undertaken through the identification of important research and knowledge gaps. Research prioritisation is an essential element of both effective responses to disease outbreaks and adequate preparedness. There is however currently no published mapping of activities on and evidence from research prioritisation for high consequence pathogens.

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Stigma is a critical barrier for TB care delivery; yet data on stigma reduction interventions is limited. This review maps the available literature on TB stigma reduction interventions, using the Health Stigma and Discrimination framework and an implementation analysis to identify research gaps and inform intervention design. Using search terms for TB and stigma, we systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science.

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The ongoing investigations into clusters of children affected by severe acute hepatitis of unknown aetiology have put our global capacity for a coordinated, effective response to the test. The global health community have rapidly convened to share data and inform the response. In the UK, where most cases were initially identified, a coordinated public health and clinical research response was rapidly initiated.

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Background: Tuberculosis (TB) care cascade analyses show large gaps at early stages, including care-seeking and diagnostic evaluation, where promising interventions to decrease attrition are urgently needed. Person-centered care is prioritized in the World Health Organization's End TB strategy; yet little is known about how it is delivered and can be optimized. Recommendations for counselling, a core component of person-centered care, are largely limited to its role in improving TB treatment adherence.

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