Tuberculosis case notification by private practitioners in Pune, India: how well are we doing?

Mixed-method study including an analysis of notification data, followed by in-depth interviews with private practitioners

From:: Department for International Development
Published: 21 September 2015

Country:: India
Document Type:: Journal Article
Theme:: Health
Authors:: Yeole, R.D., Khillare, K, Chadha, V.K., Lo, T, Kumar, A.M.V.

Abstract

Setting

Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation area, Pune, India.

Objective

To assess the proportion of private practitioners (PPs) who notified tuberculosis (TB) patients during February–April 2013 and their contribution to the overall number notified, and to determine their perceived challenges in reporting TB cases.

Design

Mixed-method study including an analysis of notification data, followed by in-depth interviews with PPs. Interviews were transcribed and inductive content analysis was performed to derive themes.

Results

Of 831 PPs, 533 (64%) participated in case notification; of these 87 (16%) notified at least one TB case during the study period. In all, 138 TB cases were notified by PPs, accounting for 20% of the total TB cases notified. Emerging themes among perceived challenges and barriers were lack of complete knowledge about TB notification, fear of a breach of patient confidentiality, lack of a simplified operational mechanism of notification, and lack of trust and coordination with the government health system.

Conclusion

About two thirds of PPs participated in case notification and contributed significantly to the overall TB cases notified. India’s national TB programme should focus on training PPs and targeted media communication campaigns, and establish alternative mechanisms for notification, such as the internet and mobile telephones, to overcome perceived barriers.

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

R. D. Yeole, K. Khillare, V. K. Chadha, T. Lo, A. M. V. Kumar (2015) Tuberculosis case notification by private practitioners in Pune, India: how well are we doing? Public Health Action vol 5 no 3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5588/pha.15.0031