Using Unannounced Standardized Patients to Assess the Quality of Tuberculosis Care and Antibiotic Prescribing: A Cross-Sectional Study on a Low/Middle-Income Country, Pakistan.

ABSTRACT: Background: Pakistan is classified as a high-burden country for tuberculosis, and the prescription of antibiotics and fluoroquinolones complicates the detection and treatment of the disease. The existing literature primarily relies on knowledge questionnaires and prescription analyses, which focus on healthcare providers' knowledge rather than their actual clinical practices. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the quality of tuberculosis care using standardized patients. Materials and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study, recruiting consenting private healthcare practitioners in four cities in Punjab, Pakistan. Standardized patients were engaged from the general public to simulate four cases: two suspected tuberculosis cases (Case 1 and 2), one confirmed tubercu

SUBMITTER: Zhao M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11852056 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature