Stigma relating to tuberculosis infection prevention and control implementation in rural health facilities in South Africa - a qualitative study outlining opportunities for mitigation.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Tuberculosis (TB) is a stigmatised disease with intersectional associations with poverty, HIV, transmission risk and mortality. The use of visible TB infection prevention and control (IPC) measures, such as masks or isolation, can contribute to stigma.

Methods

To explore stigma in this condition, we conducted in-depth individual interviews with 18 health workers and 15 patients in the rural Eastern Cape of South Africa using a semi-structured interview guide and narrative approach. We used reflexive thematic analysis guided by line-by-line coding. We then interpreted these key findings using Link and Phelan's theoretical model of stigma, related this to stigma mitigation recommendations from participants and identified levels of intervention with the Health Stigma

SUBMITTER: van der Westhuizen HM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11622938 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature