A critical interrogation of the acceptability of antituberculosis treatment in caregivers, children, and adolescents in the Western Cape, South Africa

Date
2022-12
Journal Title
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Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ANGLISH ABSTRACT: Children often experience greater complexity and challenges both in terms of TB diagnosis and treatment. Although great strides have been made to reduce the length and complexity of treatment for both drug susceptible- (DS) and drug resistant (DR)-TB, daily preparation and administration to children remains challenging, with treatment for DR-TB being more complex to prepare, administer and adhere to. Challenges involved in treatment and care for children with TB can have lasting negative impacts on their overall psychological, social, and economic wellbeing. South Africa accounted for 3.3% of all estimated incident TB cases worldwide in 2021. Here, household, socio-economic, and environmental conditions influence treatment management decisions. This project interrogates the acceptability of antituberculosis treatment (ATT) among caregivers and children in the Western Cape, South Africa. For this project, ‘ATT’ includes the drugs and any additional treatment related processes involved to prevent or cure TB. The predominant definition of treatment acceptability refers to the overall ability of the children and caregivers to use the treatment as intended. Most existing measures and studies use palatability, ease of use, and adherence as proxy measures of treatment acceptability. However, other factors including socio-economic circumstances, health services access, and stigma, may also influence the overall acceptability of ATT. This project describes the historical emergence of increasing interest and investment in new, ‘child-friendly’ drugs towards improving the overall acceptability of ATT among children and their caregivers. Through two empirically driven manuscripts, I describe how broader psychosocial, economic, and contextual factors influence caregivers’ and children’s acceptability of ATT. These data toward are drawn from three qualitative sub-studies of ATT trials at the Desmond Tutu TB Centre (DTTC). These studies are, the Shorter Treatment for Minimal TB in children (SHINE) trial; Tuberculosis Child Multidrug-resistant Preventive Therapy (TB-CHAMP) trial; and the Optimizing and operationalizing paediatric drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDRPK2) study. These data comprise semi structured interviews with children and their caregivers. Children (aged ≤17) and their caregivers (aged ≥18) were recruited to the qualitative sub-studies from the parent trials. The findings suggest that while palatability, adverse effects, and health services access, remain a concern for children and their caregivers, psychosocial, economic, and other contextual factors should be considered part of determining the overall acceptability of ATT. The final manuscript proposes an early-stage conceptual framework to measure the many factors that may influence the acceptability of treatment ATT among children and their caregivers. The conceptual framework presents an opportunity to identify key obstacles within households, communities, and healthcare systems to optimise the degree of fit between patients’ needs and available treatment for children with TB. It provides the first steps towards a global standard against which novel treatment strategies could be measured to determine overall TB treatment acceptability. This project contributes to this emerging field of research by providing evidence of the perceived impact of contextual factors on the acceptability of ATT among children and their caregivers. This project provides a conceptual framework with which future researchers can better determine what factors influence the acceptability of ATT among children and their caregivers.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kinders ervaar dikwels groter kompleksiteit en uitdagings in terme van siektevordering en toegang tot behandeling. Alhoewel groot vordering gemaak is om die durasie en kompleksiteit van behandeling vir beide dwelm vatbare- (DS) en dwelmweerstandige (DR)-TB te verminder, bly daaglikse voorbereiding en toediening aan kinders uitdagend. Die behandeling vir DR-TB is veel meer uitdagend, moeilik om voor te berei, te administreer en na te kom. Uitdagings betrokke by behandeling en sorg vir kinders met TB kan blywende negatiewe impakte hê op hul algehele sielkundige, sosiale en ekonomiese welstand. https://scholar.sun.ac.za Dillon T Wademan v Suid-Afrika is verantwoordelik vir 3,3% van alle geraamde TB-gevalle wêreldwyd in 2021. Huishoudelike, sosio-ekonomiese en omgewingstoestande beïnvloed behandelingsbestuursbesluite. Hierdie projek ondersoek die aanvaarbaarheid van antituberkulosebehandeling (ATT) onder versorgers en kinders in die Wes-Kaap, Suid-Afrika. Vir hierdie projek sluit 'ATT' beide die middels en enige addisionele behandelingverwante prosesse in wat betrokke is by die bod om TB te voorkom of te genees. Die oorheersende definisie van behandelingsaanvaarbaarheid verwys na die algehele vermoë van die kinders en versorgers om die behandeling te gebruik. Die meeste bestaande maatreëls en studies gebruik smaaklikheid, gebruiksgemak en nakoming as gevolmagtigde maatstawwe van behandeling aanvaarbaarheid. Ander faktore insluitend sosio-ekonomiese omstandighede, toegang tot gesondheidsdienste, en stigma, kan egter ook die algehele aanvaarbaarheid van ATT beïnvloed.. Met die toenemende erkenning dat nuwe, 'kindvriendelike' antituberkulosemiddels ontwerp moet word, is dit noodsaaklik dat aanvaarbaarheidsnavorsing gedoen word om beter te verstaan watter faktore die opname en nakoming van ATT onder kinders en hul versorgers beïnvloed. As 'n eerste stap beskryf hierdie projek die historiese ontstaan van die toenemende belangstelling en belegging in nuwe, 'kindvriendelike' antituberkulose-medisyne, en die strewe om die algehele aanvaarbaarheid van ATT onder kinders en hul versorgers te verbeter. Deur twee empiries-gedrewe manuskripte beskryf ek hoe breër psigososiale, ekonomiese en kontekstuele faktore versorgers en kinders se aanvaarbaarheid van ATT beïnvloed. Hierdie data word verkry uit drie kwalitatiewe substudies van ATT-proewe by die Desmond Tutu TB-sentrum (DTTC). Hierdie studies is, die Korter Behandeling vir Minimale TB by kinders (SHINE) proef; Tuberkulose-kind Multidwelm-weerstandige voorkomende terapie (TB-CHAMP) proef; en die Optimalisering en operasionalisering van pediatriese middelweerstandige tuberkulose (MDRPK2) studie. Hierdie data bestaan uit semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met kinders en hul versorgers. Hierdie data bestaan uit semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met kinders en hul versorgers. Kinders (ouderdom ≤17) en hul versorgers (ouderdom ≥18) is gewerf na die kwalitatiewe substudies uit die ouerproewe. Die bevindinge dui daarop dat hoewel smaaklikheid, nadelige gevolge en toegang tot gesondheidsdienste 'n bekommernis vir kinders en hul versorgers bly, psigososiale, ekonomiese en ander kontekstuele faktore as deel van die bepaling van die algehele aanvaarbaarheid van ATT beskou moet word. Die finale manuskrip stel 'n vroeë stadium konseptuele raamwerk voor om die baie faktore te meet wat die aanvaarbaarheid van behandeling ATT onder kinders en hul versorgers kan beïnvloed. Die konseptuele raamwerk bied 'n geleentheid om sleutelhindernisse binne huishoudings, gemeenskappe en gesondheidsorgstelsels te identifiseer om die mate van passing tussen pasiënte se behoeftes en beskikbare behandeling vir kinders met TB te optimaliseer. Dit verskaf die eerste stappe na 'n globale standaard waarteen nuwe behandelingstrategieë gemeet kan word om die algehele aanvaarbaarheid van TB-behandeling te bepaal. Hierdie projek dra by tot hierdie opkomende navorsingsveld deur bewyse te verskaf van die waargenome impak van kontekstuele faktore op die aanvaarbaarheid van ATT onder kinders en hul versorgers. Hierdie projek verskaf 'n konseptuele raamwerk waarmee toekomstige navorsers beter kan bepaal watter faktore die aanvaarbaarheid van ATT onder kinders en hul versorgers beïnvloed.
Description
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.
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