Outcomes and implementation challenges of using daily treatment regimens
With an innovative adherence support tool among HIV-infected tuberculosis patients in Karnataka, India
Abstract
In India, a new care package consisting of (i) daily regimen with fixed-dose combination drugs, collected once-a-month and self-administered by the patient, (ii) ‘one stop service’ at antiretroviral treatment (ART) centre for both HIV and tuberculosis (TB) treatment and (iii) technology-enabled adherence support (99DOTS, which required patients to give a missed phone call after consuming drugs) was piloted for treatment of TB among HIV-infected TB patients. Conventional care included intermittent regimen (drugs consumed thrice-weekly) delivered under direct observation of treatment supporter and the patients needing to visit TB and HIV care facilities, separately for treatment.
This study aims to assess the effect of new care package on TB treatment outcomes among HIV-TB patients registered during January–December 2016, as compared to conventional care and explore the implementation challenges.
This research was supported by the UK Department for International Development’s Operational Research Capacity Building Programme led by the International Union Against TB and Lung Disease (The Union)
Citation
Thekkur P, Kumar AMV, Chinnakali P, Selvaraju S, Bairy R, Singh AR, Nirgude A, Selvaraj K, Venugopal V, Shastri S. Outcomes and implementation challenges of using daily treatment regimens with an innovative adherence support tool among HIV-infected tuberculosis patients in Karnataka, India: a mixed-methods study. Global Health Action. 2019;12(1):1568826.