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Using mHealth to improve tuberculosis case identification and treatment initiation in South Africa: Results from a pilot study
- Source :
- PLoS ONE, Vol 13, Iss 7, p e0199687 (2018), PLoS ONE
- Publication Year :
- 2018
- Publisher :
- Public Library of Science (PLoS), 2018.
-
Abstract
- Background Tuberculosis (TB) incidence in South Africa is among the highest globally. Initial loss to follow-up (ILFU), defined as not starting on TB treatment within 28 days of testing positive, is undermining control efforts. We assessed the feasibility, acceptability, and potential of a mHealth application to reduce ILFU. Methods An mHealth application was developed to capture patients TB investigation data, provide results and monitor treatment initiation. This was implemented in two primary health clinics (PHC) in inner-city Johannesburg. Feasibility was assessed by comparing documentation of personal details, specimen results for same individuals during implementation period (paper register and Mhealth application). Effectiveness was assessed by comparing proportion of patients with results within 48 hours, and proportion started on treatment within 28 days of testing TB positive during pre- implementation (paper register) and implementation (mHealth application) periods. In-depth interviews with patients and providers were conducted to assess acceptability of application. Results Pre-implementation, 457 patients were recorded in paper registers [195 (42.7%) male, median age 34 years (interquartile range IQR (28–40), 45 (10.5%) sputum Xpert positive]. During implementation, 319 patients were recorded in paper register and the mHealth application [131 (41.1%) male, median age 32 years (IQR 27–38), 33 (10.3%) sputum Xpert positive]. The proportion with complete personal details: [mHealth 95.0% versus paper register 94.0%, (p = 0.54)] and proportion with documented results: [mHealth 97.4% versus paper register 97.8%, (p = 0.79)] were not different in the two methods. The proportion of results available within 48 hours: [mHealth 96.8% versus paper register 68.6%), (p
- Subjects :
- Male
Bacterial Diseases
Research Facilities
020205 medical informatics
Physiology
Health Care Providers
Nurses
lcsh:Medicine
Pilot Projects
02 engineering and technology
Geographical locations
South Africa
0302 clinical medicine
Interquartile range
Health care
Medicine and Health Sciences
0202 electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering
Medical Personnel
030212 general & internal medicine
lcsh:Science
mHealth
Allied Health Care Professionals
Multidisciplinary
Incidence (epidemiology)
Middle Aged
Telemedicine
Clinical Laboratory Sciences
Body Fluids
3. Good health
Professions
Clinical Laboratories
Infectious Diseases
Female
Anatomy
medicine.symptom
Research Laboratories
Research Article
Adult
medicine.medical_specialty
Tuberculosis
Patients
Research and Analysis Methods
Time-to-Treatment
03 medical and health sciences
Tuberculosis diagnosis
Diagnostic Medicine
medicine
Humans
business.industry
lcsh:R
Sputum
Biology and Life Sciences
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Tropical Diseases
medicine.disease
Health Care
Mucus
People and Places
Africa
Emergency medicine
Population Groupings
lcsh:Q
business
Government Laboratories
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 19326203
- Volume :
- 13
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- PLOS ONE
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....5c068f8a7b52f8395bc3c4086641d3d9