A qualitative exploration into the presence of TB stigmatization across three districts in South Africa.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) stigma is a barrier to active case finding and delivery of care in fighting the TB epidemic. As part of a project exploring different models for delivery of TB contact tracing, we conducted a qualitative analysis to explore the presence of TB stigma within communities across South Africa.

Methods: We conducted 43 in-depth interviews with 31 people with TB and 12 household contacts as well as five focus group discussions with 40 ward-based team members and 11 community stakeholders across three South African districts.

Pre-Diagnosis Health Seeking Behaviors and Experiences Post-Diagnosis, among Men Diagnosed with Tuberculosis in a District of Gauteng Metropolitan City, South Africa: In-Depth Interviews.

Background: Tuberculosis remains the number one killer among infectious diseases in South Africa. The TB disease burden is said to be higher among males, 1.6 times more than females in 2018.

Exploring the promise and reality of ward-based primary healthcare outreach teams conducting TB household contact tracing in three districts of South Africa.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) household contact tracing is a form of targeted active case-finding for which community health workers ('outreach teams') in South Africa are primarily responsible for its implementation. We conducted an exploratory qualitative study to understand the role of outreach teams in delivering TB household contact tracing.

Methods: The study took place in three districts of South Africa between May 2016 and February 2017.