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Effect of Pandemic on DOTS Treatment During COVID-19 Lockdown- A Cross-sectional Study

Overview
Journal Indian J Tuberc
Publisher Elsevier
Specialty Infectious Diseases
Date 2023 Aug 10
PMID 37562908
Authors
Satish Kabbur
Bhagyashree Patil
Mubashir Angolkar
Ashwini Narasannavar
Affiliations
Soon will be listed here.
Abstract

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is still the most common infectious disease globally, affecting 1.5 million people per year. Prior to COVID-19 outbreak, India was struggling with a rampant attack of Tuberculosis. With the surge of COVID-19 implementation of all national health programs including NTEP was disrupted. Prioritization of services, the challenges to reaching all types of communities and the role of stigmatization, and the possibility of increased disease transmission were few problems in the implementation of DOTS during the lockdown.

Aim: To assess effect of pandemic on DOTS treatment during COVID-19 lockdown.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 254 tuberculosis patients who were under DOTS during Covid-19 lockdown in Belagavi district. Participants who were on DOTS during 2019-2021 period.

Result: Of 254 participants, only 5 (2.0%) were supervised while taking drugs, 67 (26.4%) of subject's empty blister packs were taken back by health personnel and 106 (41.7%) participants were regularly followed up for treatment by health department. The variables like gender, literacy status, socioeconomic status, and occupation were all significantly associated with hampered access to DOTS during the lockdown period at p < 0.05.

Conclusion: This study concluded that the participants had hampered accessibilities to DOTS during lockdown.

Citing Articles

Understanding the impact of pandemics on long-term medication adherence: directly observed therapy in a tuberculosis treatment cohort pre- and post-COVID-19 lockdowns.

Overbeck V, Malatesta S, Carney T, Myers B, Parry C, Horsburgh C BMC Infect Dis. 2024; 24(1):1154.

PMID: 39396938 PMC: 11475609. DOI: 10.1186/s12879-024-09994-7.

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