Understanding the role of video direct observed therapy for patients on an oral short-course regimen for multi-drug resistant tuberculosis: findings from a qualitative study in Eswatini.

Background: Improving treatment success rates among multi drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) patients is critical to reducing its incidence and mortality, but adherence poses an important challenge. Video-based direct observed therapy (vDOT) may provide adherence benefits, while addressing the time and cost burden associated with community treatment supporter (CTS)-DOT. This study explored experiences of patients, family members and healthcare workers with different DOT modalities for adherence support in Eswatini.

"It is still very little; I cannot pass it on": a qualitative study of experiences of diagnosis and treatment of acute HIV infection in Eswatini.

Acute and early HIV infection (AEHI) is rarely diagnosed in sub-Saharan Africa, despite its potential contribution to incidence reduction. This qualitative study in Eswatini explored the experiences of health workers, people diagnosed with AEHI, and their partners towards AEHI diagnosis, to inform its scale-up. In-depth interviews were undertaken with 11 women and four men diagnosed with AEHI.

"We have to learn to cooperate with each other": a qualitative study to explore integration of traditional healers into the provision of HIV self-testing and tuberculosis screening in Eswatini.

Background: Traditional healing plays an important role in healthcare in Eswatini, and innovative collaborations with traditional healers may enable hard-to-reach men to access HIV and tuberculosis diagnostic services. This study explored attitudes towards integration of traditional healers into the provision of HIV self-testing kits and sputum collection containers.

Methods: A qualitative study was conducted in 2019-2020 in Shiselweni region, Eswatini.

PrEP reminds me that I am the one to take responsibility of my life: a qualitative study exploring experiences of and attitudes towards pre-exposure prophylaxis use by women in Eswatini.

Background: Pre-exposure-prophylaxis (PrEP) has been heralded for its potential to put women in control of preventing HIV infection, but uptake and continuation rates have been disappointing in high-incidence settings in sub-Saharan Africa. We explored structural and social factors that influenced PrEP use among young women and pregnant or breastfeeding women in rural Eswatini.

Methods: We conducted two in-depth interviews with ten women on PrEP, and one-time in-depth interviews with fourteen women who declined or discontinued PrEP.

'She is like my mother': Community-based care of drug-resistant tuberculosis in rural Eswatini.

Patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) have received community-based care in Eswatini since 2009. Trained and compensated community treatment supporters (CTSs) provide directly observed therapy (DOT), injectables and psychological support. We examined the acceptability of this model of care among DR-TB patients, including the perspective of family members of DR-TB patients and their CTSs in relation to the patient's experience of care and quality of life.