Respiratory symptoms after TB treatment completion: A qualitative study of patient and provider experiences in urban Blantyre, Malawi.

ABSTRACT: Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) survivors experience a high burden of residual and recurrent respiratory symptoms after TB treatment completion. However, guidelines for the investigation and care of symptomatic TB-survivors are limited. We used qualitative methods to explore patient and provider understandings, experience and practice around respiratory symptoms in the post-TB period. We conducted in-depth interviews with PTB-survivors who had experienced respiratory symptoms (cough, chest pain, breathlessness) after successful TB treatment completion in Blantyre, Malawi (n = 23). We completed focus group discussions with TB-Officers (n = 12), and in-depth interviews with health care workers (n = 18) from primary and tertiary health facilities. Interviews were conducted in Chichewa, and thema

SUBMITTER: Meghji J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11433068 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature