Direct Observation (DO) for Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis: Do We Really DO?

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Directly-observed therapy (DOT) is recommended for drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) patients during their entire treatment duration. However, there is limited published evidence on implementation of direct observation (DO) in the field. This study aims to detail whether DO was followed with DR-TB patients in a Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) tuberculosis program in Mumbai, India.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional, mixed-methods study. Existing qualitative data from a purposively-selected subset of 12 patients, 5 DOT-providers and 5 family members, were assessed in order to determine how DO was implemented. A questionnaire-based survey of DR-TB patients, their DOT-providers and MSF staff was completed between June and August 2014. Patients were defined as"foll

SUBMITTER: Benbaba S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4703099 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature