Digital adherence technology for tuberculosis treatment supervision: A stepped-wedge cluster-randomized trial in Uganda.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Adherence to and completion of tuberculosis (TB) treatment remain problematic in many high-burden countries. 99DOTS is a low-cost digital adherence technology that could increase TB treatment completion.

Methods and findings

We conducted a pragmatic stepped-wedge cluster-randomized trial including all adults treated for drug-susceptible pulmonary TB at 18 health facilities across Uganda over 8 months (1 December 2018-31 July 2019). Facilities were randomized to switch from routine (control period) to 99DOTS-based (intervention period) TB treatment supervision in consecutive months. Patients were allocated to the control or intervention period based on which facility they attended and their treatment start date. Health facility staff and patients were not blinded t

SUBMITTER: Cattamanchi A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8136841 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature