Evaluation of a social protection policy on tuberculosis treatment outcomes: A prospective cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Tuberculosis (TB) still represents a major public health problem in Latin America, with low success and high default rates. Poor adherence represents a major threat for TB control and promotes emergence of drug-resistant TB. Expanding social protection programs could have a substantial effect on the global burden of TB; however, there is little evidence to evaluate the outcomes of socioeconomic support interventions. This study evaluated the effect of a conditional cash transfer (CCT) policy on treatment success and default rates in a prospective cohort of socioeconomically disadvantaged patients.

Methods and findings

Data were collected on adult patients with first diagnosis of pulmonary TB starting treatment in public healthcare facilities (HCFs) from 16 health

SUBMITTER: Klein K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6490910 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature