BMC Health Serv Res
June 2024
Background: Video-enabled directly observed therapy (video-DOT) has been proposed as an additional option for treatment provision besides in-person DOT for patients with drug-resistant TB (DRTB) disease. However, evidence and implementation experience mainly originate from well-resourced contexts. This study describes the operationalization of video-DOT in a low-resourced setting in Eswatini facing a high burden of HIV and TB amid the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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March 2024
Objectives: Despite declining TB notifications in Southern Africa, TB-related deaths remain high. We describe patient- and population-level trends in TB-related deaths in Eswatini over a period of 11 years.
Methods: Patient-level (retrospective cohort, from 2009 to 2019) and population-level (ecological analysis, 2009-2017) predictors and rates of TB-related deaths were analysed in HIV-negative and HIV-coinfected first-line TB treatment cases and the population of the Shiselweni region.
Objectives: To describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tuberculosis services and the different approaches healthcare workers adopted to ensure continued tuberculosis service delivery in Eswatini.
Study Design: This is a qualitative study with a cross-sectional design.
Methods: Thirteen nurses and 9 doctors who provide tuberculosis care from 10 health facilities participated in an in-depth interview to describe how the COVID-19 pandemic affected tuberculosis services and the approaches adopted to ensure continued patient care.
This study describes the availability of basic services, equipment, and commodities for integrated DM-TB services, best practices by healthcare workers, and opportunities for better integration of DM-TB care in Eswatini. A qualitative design was used. Twenty-three healthcare workers participated in a survey and key informant interview.
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