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Chatterjee S, Das P, Stallworthy G, Bhambure G, Munje R, Vassall A. Catastrophic costs for tuberculosis patients in India: Impact of methodological choices. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 4:e0003078. [PMID: 38669225 PMCID: PMC11051603 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0003078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
As financial risk protection is one of the goals towards universal health coverage, detailed information on costs, catastrophic costs and other economic consequences related to any disease are required for designing social protection measures. End Tuberculosis (TB) Strategy set a milestone of achieving zero catastrophic cost by 2020. However, a recent literature review noted that 7%-32% TB affected households in India faced catastrophic cost. Studies included in the review were small scale cross-sectional. We followed a cohort of 1482 notified drug-susceptible TB patients from four states in India: Assam, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal to provide a comprehensive picture of economic burden associated with TB treatment. Treatment cost was calculated using World Health Organization guidelines on TB patient cost survey and both human capital and output approaches of indirect cost (time, productivity, and income loss related to an episode) calculation were used to provide the range of households currently facing catastrophic cost. Depending on choice of indirect cost calculation method, 30%-61% study participants faced catastrophic cost. For over half of them, costs became catastrophic even before starting TB treatment as there was average 7-9 weeks delay from symptom onset to treatment initiation which was double the generally accepted delay of 4 weeks. During that period, they made average 8-11 visits to different providers and spent money on consultations, drugs, tests, and travel. Following the largest cohort of drug-susceptible TB patients till date, the study concluded that a significant proportion of study participants faced catastrophic cost and the proportion was much higher when income loss was considered as indirect cost calculation method. Therefore, ensuring uninterrupted livelihood during TB treatment is an absolute necessity. Another reason of high cost was the delay in diagnosis and costs incurred during pre-diagnosis period. This delay and consequently, economic burden, can be reduced by both supply side (intense private sector engagement, rapid diagnosis) and demand side (community engagement) initiatives. Reimbursement of expenses incurred before treatment initiation could be used as short-term measure for mitigating financial hardship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susmita Chatterjee
- Research Department, George Institute for Global Health, New Delhi, India
- Department of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
- Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Palash Das
- Research Department, George Institute for Global Health, New Delhi, India
| | - Guy Stallworthy
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Global Health Division, Seattle, Washington State, United States of America
| | - Gayatri Bhambure
- Research Department, George Institute for Global Health, New Delhi, India
| | - Radha Munje
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Indira Gandhi Government Medical College, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India
| | - Anna Vassall
- Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
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Cruz Martínez OA, García I, Puerto GM, Alvis-Zakzuk NJ, López MP, Moreno Cubides JC, Sánchez Salazar ÁM, Trujillo Trujillo J, Castro-Osorio CM, Vanessa Rubio V, Castañeda-Orjuela C, Montoro E, Nguhiu P, García Baena I. Tuberculosis patients face high treatment support costs in Colombia, 2021. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0296250. [PMID: 38635755 PMCID: PMC11025946 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To estimate the baseline to measure one of the three indicators of the World Health Organization (WHO) End TB strategy (2015-2035), measure the costs incurred by patients affected by tuberculosis (TB) during a treatment episode and estimate the proportion of households facing catastrophic costs (CC) and associated risk factors, in Colombia, 2021. MATERIAL AND METHODS A nationally representative cross-sectional survey was conducted among participants on TB treatment in Colombia, using telephone interviews due to the exceptional context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey collected household costs (direct [medical and non-medical out-of-pocket expenses] and indirect) over an episode of TB, loss of time, coping measures, self-reported income, and asset ownership. Total costs were expressed as a proportion of annual household income and analyzed for risk factors of CC (defined as costs above 20% annual household income). RESULTS The proportion of TB-affected households incurring in costs above 20% annual household income (CC) was 51.7% (95%CI: 45.4-58.0) overall, 51.3% (95%CI: 44.9-57.7) among patients with drug-sensitive (DS) TB, and 65.0% (95%CI: 48.0-82.0) among drug-resistant (DR). The average patient cost of a TB case in Colombia was $1,218 (95%CI 1,106-1,330) including $860.9 (95%CI 776.1-945.7) for non-medical costs, $339 (95%CI 257-421) for the indirect costs, and $18.1 (95%CI 11.9-24.4) for the medical costs. The factors that influenced the probability of facing CC were income quintile, job loss, DR-TB patient, and TB type. CONCLUSION Main cost drivers for CC were non-medical out-of-pocket expenses and income loss (indirect costs). Current social protection programs ought to be expanded to mitigate the proportion of TB-affected households facing CC in Colombia, especially those with lower income levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Andrés Cruz Martínez
- Programa Nacional para el Control de la Tuberculosis, Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
| | - Ingrid García
- Área Prevención y Control de Enfermedades CDE, Organización Panamericana de la Salud/Organización Mundial de la Salud, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
| | - Gloria Mercedes Puerto
- Instituto Nacional de Salud, Red Nacional de Investigación, Innovación y Gestión del Conocimiento de TB en Colombia, Grupo de Micobacterias, Dirección de Investigación en Salud Pública, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
| | - Nelson J. Alvis-Zakzuk
- Global TB Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Health Sciences, Universidad de la Costa, Barranquilla, Colombia
- Laboratory of Causal Inference in Epidemiology (LINCE-USP), School of Public Health, Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Martha Patricia López
- Área Prevención y Control de Enfermedades CDE, Organización Panamericana de la Salud/Organización Mundial de la Salud, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
| | - Juan Carlos Moreno Cubides
- Área Prevención y Control de Enfermedades CDE, Organización Panamericana de la Salud/Organización Mundial de la Salud, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
| | | | - Julián Trujillo Trujillo
- Grupo Emergentes Reemergentes y Desatendidas, Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
- Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia UNAD, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
| | - Claudia Marcela Castro-Osorio
- Instituto Nacional de Salud, Red Nacional de Investigación, Innovación y Gestión del Conocimiento de TB en Colombia, Grupo de Micobacterias, Dirección de Investigación en Salud Pública, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
| | - Vivian Vanessa Rubio
- Instituto Nacional de Salud, Red Nacional de Investigación, Innovación y Gestión del Conocimiento de TB en Colombia, Grupo de Micobacterias, Dirección de Investigación en Salud Pública, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
| | | | - Ernesto Montoro
- Departamento CDE, Unidad de VIH, Hepatitis, Tuberculosis e ITS, Organización Panamericana de la Salud/Organización Mundial, Washington, DC, Estados Unidos de América
| | - Peter Nguhiu
- Global TB Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
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Pham TAM, Forse R, Codlin AJ, Phan THY, Nguyen TT, Nguyen N, Vo LNQ, Dat PT, Minh HDT, Nguyen LH, Nguyen HB, Nguyen NV, Bodfish M, Lönnroth K, Wingfield T, Annerstedt KS. Determinants of catastrophic costs among households affected by multi-drug resistant tuberculosis in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam: a prospective cohort study. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:2372. [PMID: 38042797 PMCID: PMC10693707 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17078-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Globally, most people with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and their households experience catastrophic costs of illness, diagnosis, and care. However, the factors associated with experiencing catastrophic costs are poorly understood. This study aimed to identify risk factors associated with catastrophic costs incurrence among MDR-TB-affected households in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Viet Nam. METHODS Between October 2020 and April 2022, data were collected using a locally-adapted, longitudinal WHO TB Patient Cost Survey in ten districts of HCMC. Ninety-four people with MDR-TB being treated with a nine-month TB regimen were surveyed at three time points: after two weeks of treatment initiation, completion of the intensive phase and the end of the treatment (approximately five and 10 months post-treatment initiation respectively). The catastrophic costs threshold was defined as total TB-related costs exceeding 20% of annual pre-TB household income. Logistic regression was used to identify variables associated with experiencing catastrophic costs. A sensitivity analysis examined the prevalence of catastrophic costs using alternative thresholds and cost estimation approaches. RESULTS Most participants (81/93 [87%]) experienced catastrophic costs despite the majority 86/93 (93%) receiving economic support through existing social protection schemes. Among participant households experiencing and not experiencing catastrophic costs, median household income was similar before MDR-TB treatment. However, by the end of MDR-TB treatment, median household income was lower (258 [IQR: 0-516] USD vs. 656 [IQR: 462-989] USD; p = 0.003), and median income loss was higher (2838 [IQR: 1548-5418] USD vs. 301 [IQR: 0-824] USD; p < 0.001) amongst the participant households who experienced catastrophic costs. Being the household's primary income earner before MDR-TB treatment (aOR = 11.2 [95% CI: 1.6-80.5]), having a lower educational level (aOR = 22.3 [95% CI: 1.5-344.1]) and becoming unemployed at the beginning of MDR-TB treatment (aOR = 35.6 [95% CI: 2.7-470.3]) were associated with experiencing catastrophic costs. CONCLUSION Despite good social protection coverage, most people with MDR-TB in HCMC experienced catastrophic costs. Incurrence of catastrophic costs was independently associated with being the household's primary income earner or being unemployed. Revision and expansion of strategies to mitigate TB-related catastrophic costs, in particular avoiding unemployment and income loss, are urgently required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thi Anh Mai Pham
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Social Medicine and Tuberculosis, Department of Global Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Rachel Forse
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Social Medicine and Tuberculosis, Department of Global Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Friends for International TB Relief, 1/21 Le Van Luong, Nhan Chinh, Thanh Xuan, Ha Noi, Viet Nam.
| | - Andrew J Codlin
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Social Medicine and Tuberculosis, Department of Global Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
- Friends for International TB Relief, 1/21 Le Van Luong, Nhan Chinh, Thanh Xuan, Ha Noi, Viet Nam
| | - Thi Hoang Yen Phan
- Centre for Development of Community Health Initiatives, 1/21 Le Van Luong, Nhan Chinh, Thanh Xuan, Ha Noi, Viet Nam
| | - Thanh Thi Nguyen
- Centre for Development of Community Health Initiatives, 1/21 Le Van Luong, Nhan Chinh, Thanh Xuan, Ha Noi, Viet Nam
| | - Nga Nguyen
- Friends for International TB Relief, 1/21 Le Van Luong, Nhan Chinh, Thanh Xuan, Ha Noi, Viet Nam
| | - Luan Nguyen Quang Vo
- Centre for Development of Community Health Initiatives, 1/21 Le Van Luong, Nhan Chinh, Thanh Xuan, Ha Noi, Viet Nam
| | - Phan Thuong Dat
- Pham Ngoc Thach Hospital, 120 Hong Bang, Ward12, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | - Ha Dang Thi Minh
- Pham Ngoc Thach Hospital, 120 Hong Bang, Ward12, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | - Lan Huu Nguyen
- Pham Ngoc Thach Hospital, 120 Hong Bang, Ward12, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | - Hoa Binh Nguyen
- National Lung Hospital/National TB Control Programme, 463 Hoang Hoa Tham, Vinh Phu, Ba Dinh, Ha Noi, Viet Nam
| | - Nhung Viet Nguyen
- National Lung Hospital/National TB Control Programme, 463 Hoang Hoa Tham, Vinh Phu, Ba Dinh, Ha Noi, Viet Nam
- University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vietnam National University, Ha Noi, Viet Nam
| | - Miranda Bodfish
- CDC Foundation, 600 Peachtree Street NE, Suite 1000, Atlanta, USA
| | - Knut Lönnroth
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Social Medicine and Tuberculosis, Department of Global Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tom Wingfield
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Social Medicine and Tuberculosis, Department of Global Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
- Clinical Sciences and International Public Health, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, L3 5QA, Merseyside, UK
- Tropical and Infectious Disease Unit, Liverpool University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, L7 8XP, Merseyside, UK
| | - Kristi Sidney Annerstedt
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Social Medicine and Tuberculosis, Department of Global Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
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Bhatia V, Rijal S, Sharma M, Islam A, Vassall A, Bhargava A, Thida A, Basri C, Onozaki I, Pai M, Rezwan MK, Arinaminpathy N, Chandrashekhar P, Sarin R, Mandal S, Raviglione M. Ending TB in South-East Asia: flagship priority and response transformation. THE LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH. SOUTHEAST ASIA 2023; 18:100301. [PMID: 38028166 PMCID: PMC10667305 DOI: 10.1016/j.lansea.2023.100301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Over the decades, the global tuberculosis (TB) response has evolved from sanatoria-based treatment to DOTS (Directly Observed Therapy Shortcourse) strategy and the more recent End TB Strategy. The WHO South-East Asia Region, which accounted for 45% of new TB patients and 50% of deaths globally in 2021, is pivotal to the global fight against TB. "Accelerate Efforts to End TB" by 2030 was adopted as a South-East Asia Regional Flagship Priority (RFP) in 2017. This article illustrates intensified and transformed approaches to address the disease burden following the adoption of RFP and new challenges that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. TB case notifications improved by 25% and treatment success rates improved by 6% between 2016 and 2019 due to interventions ranging from galvanising political commitments to empowering and engaging communities. Cumulative TB programme budget allocations in 2022 reached US$ 1.4 billion, about two and a half times the budget in 2016. An ambitious Regional Strategic Plan towards ending TB, 2021-2025, identifies priority interventions that will need investments of up to US$ 3 billion a year to fully implement them. Moving forward, countries in the Region need to leverage RFP and take up intensified, people-centred, holistic interventions for prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care of TB with commensurate investments and cross-ministerial and multi-sectoral coordination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vineet Bhatia
- Department of Communicable Diseases, WHO South-East Asia Regional Office, India
| | - Suman Rijal
- Department of Communicable Diseases, WHO South-East Asia Regional Office, India
| | - Mukta Sharma
- Department of Communicable Diseases, WHO Country Office, Indonesia
| | | | | | | | - Aye Thida
- Department of Communicable Diseases, WHO South-East Asia Regional Office, India
| | | | | | - Madhukar Pai
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Canada
| | - Md Kamar Rezwan
- Department of Communicable Diseases, WHO South-East Asia Regional Office, India
| | | | | | - Rohit Sarin
- Independent Consultant for Tuberculosis, India
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Amare D, Ambaw F, Alene KA. Effect of integrating traditional care with modern healthcare to improve tuberculosis control programs in Ethiopia: a protocol for a cluster-randomized controlled trial. Trials 2023; 24:582. [PMID: 37697429 PMCID: PMC10494418 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-023-07559-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the world, despite being a preventable and curable disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) End-TB Strategy, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), sets a target of reducing the TB mortality rate by 95%, TB incidence rate by 90%, and catastrophic costs due to TB by 2035, compared with a 2015 level. To achieve these ambitious targets, several interventions have been implemented in the last few years, resulting in major progress toward reducing the burden of TB. However, over one-third of the global TB cases remained undetected and never received treatment. Most of those undetected cases were found in low- and middle-income countries such as Ethiopia. Though several interventions were implemented to increase TB case detection and mitigate catastrophic costs associated with TB, sustaining these interventions in resource-constrained settings remains challenging. Consequently, an alternative method is needed to increase TB case detection while decreasing diagnosis delays and catastrophic costs. Therefore, this study aimed to integrate traditional TB care into modern TB care to improve TB control programs, including early TB case detection, and reduce catastrophic costs in high TB burden settings such as Ethiopia. METHODS A cluster randomized controlled trial will be conducted in northwest Ethiopia to determine the effectiveness of integrating traditional care with modern TB care. The intervention will be conducted in randomly selected districts in the South Gondar Zone. The control group will be an equal number of districts with usual care. The intervention comprised three key components, which include referral linkage from traditional to modern health care; training of health professionals and traditional care providers in three different rounds to increase their knowledge, attitude, and skills toward the referral systems; and TB screening at traditional health care sites. The primary outcomes of interest will be an increase in case detection rate, and the secondary outcomes of interest will be decreased diagnosis delays and catastrophic costs for TB patients. Data will be collected in both the intervention and control groups on the main outcome of interest and a wide range of independent variables. Generalized linear mixed models will be used to compare the outcome of interest between the trial arms, with adjustment for baseline differences. DISCUSSION This cluster-randomized controlled trial study will assess the effectiveness of a strategy that integrates traditional healthcare into the modern healthcare system for the control and prevention of TB in northwest Ethiopia, where nearly 90% of the population seeks care from traditional care systems. This trial will provide information on the effectiveness of traditional and modern healthcare integration to improve TB case detection, early diagnosis, and treatment, as well as reduce the catastrophic costs of TB. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05236452. Registered on July 22, 2022.
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Affiliation(s)
- Desalegne Amare
- School of Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
| | - Fentie Ambaw
- School of Public Health, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
| | - Kefyalew Addis Alene
- School of Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
- Geospatial and Tuberculosis Research Team, Telethon Kids Institute, Nedlands, Australia
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Nightingale R, Carlin F, Meghji J, McMullen K, Evans D, van der Zalm MM, Anthony MG, Bittencourt M, Byrne A, du Preez K, Coetzee M, Feris C, Goussard P, Hirasen K, Bouwer J, Hoddinott G, Huaman MA, Inglis-Jassiem G, Ivanova O, Karmadwala F, Schaaf HS, Schoeman I, Seddon JA, Sineke T, Solomons R, Thiart M, van Toorn R, Fujiwara PI, Romanowski K, Marais S, Hesseling AC, Johnston J, Allwood B, Muhwa JC, Mortimer K. Post-TB health and wellbeing. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis 2023; 27:248-283. [PMID: 37035971 PMCID: PMC10094053 DOI: 10.5588/ijtld.22.0514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
TB affects around 10.6 million people each year and there are now around 155 million TB survivors. TB and its treatments can lead to permanently impaired health and wellbeing. In 2019, representatives of TB affected communities attending the '1st International Post-Tuberculosis Symposium´ called for the development of clinical guidance on these issues. This clinical statement on post-TB health and wellbeing responds to this call and builds on the work of the symposium, which brought together TB survivors, healthcare professionals and researchers. Our document offers expert opinion and, where possible, evidence-based guidance to aid clinicians in the diagnosis and management of post-TB conditions and research in this field. It covers all aspects of post-TB, including economic, social and psychological wellbeing, post TB lung disease (PTLD), cardiovascular and pericardial disease, neurological disability, effects in adolescents and children, and future research needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Nightingale
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
| | - F Carlin
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
| | - J Meghji
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - K McMullen
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Groote Schuur Hospital, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - D Evans
- Health Economics and Epidemiology Research Office, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - M M van der Zalm
- Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa
| | - M G Anthony
- Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa
| | - M Bittencourt
- University Hospital, University of Sao Paulo School of Medicine, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - A Byrne
- Department of Thoracic Medicine, St Vincent´s Hospital Clinical School University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - K du Preez
- Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa
| | - M Coetzee
- Division of Physiotherapy, Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa
| | - C Feris
- Occupational Therapy Department, Windhoek Central Hospital, Ministry of Health and Social Services, Windhoek, Namibia, Division of Occupational Therapy, Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa
| | - P Goussard
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa
| | - K Hirasen
- Health Economics and Epidemiology Research Office, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, Paediatric Pulmonology, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa
| | - J Bouwer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - G Hoddinott
- Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa
| | - M A Huaman
- University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - G Inglis-Jassiem
- Division of Physiotherapy, Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa
| | - O Ivanova
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical Centre of the University of Munich, German Centre for Infection Research, Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - F Karmadwala
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | - H S Schaaf
- Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa
| | | | - J A Seddon
- Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa, Department of Infectious Diseases, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - T Sineke
- Health Economics and Epidemiology Research Office, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - R Solomons
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Tygerberg, South Africa
| | - M Thiart
- Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa
| | - R van Toorn
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Tygerberg, South Africa
| | - P I Fujiwara
- Task Force, Global Plan to End TB, 2023-2030, Stop TB Partnership, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - K Romanowski
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, Provincial TB Services, BC Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - S Marais
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Groote Schuur Hospital, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa, Neurology Research Group, Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - A C Hesseling
- Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa
| | - J Johnston
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, Provincial TB Services, BC Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - B Allwood
- Division of Pulmonology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - J C Muhwa
- Department of Medicine, Therapeutics, Dermatology and Psychiatry, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - K Mortimer
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, College of Health Sciences, School of Clinical Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
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Ghazy RM, Sallam M, Ashmawy R, Elzorkany AM, Reyad OA, Hamdy NA, Khedr H, Mosallam RA. Catastrophic Costs among Tuberculosis-Affected Households in Egypt: Magnitude, Cost Drivers, and Coping Strategies. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:ijerph20032640. [PMID: 36768005 PMCID: PMC9915462 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20032640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Despite national programs covering the cost of treatment for tuberculosis (TB) in many countries, TB patients still face substantial costs. The end TB strategy, set by the World Health Organization (WHO), calls for "zero" TB households to be affected by catastrophic payments by 2025. This study aimed to measure the catastrophic healthcare payments among TB patients in Egypt, to determine its cost drivers and determinants and to describe the coping strategies. The study utilized an Arabic-validated version of the TB cost tool developed by the WHO for estimating catastrophic healthcare expenditure using the cluster-based sample survey with stratification in seven administrative regions in Alexandria. TB payments were considered catastrophic if the total cost exceeded 20% of the household's annual income. A total of 276 patients were interviewed: 76.4% were males, 50.0% were in the age group 18-35, and 8.3% had multidrug-resistant TB. Using the human capital approach, 17.0% of households encountered catastrophic costs compared to 59.1% when using the output approach. The cost calculation was carried out using the Egyptian pound converted to the United States dollars based on 2021 currency values. Total TB cost was United States dollars (USD) 280.28 ± 29.9 with a total direct cost of USD 103 ± 10.9 and a total indirect cost of USD 194.15 ± 25.5. The direct medical cost was the main cost driver in the pre-diagnosis period (USD 150.23 ± 26.89 pre diagnosis compared to USD 77.25 ± 9.91 post diagnosis, p = 0.013). The indirect costs (costs due to lost productivity) were the main cost driver in the post-diagnosis period (USD 4.68 ± 1.18 pre diagnosis compared to USD 192.84 ± 25.32 post diagnosis, p < 0.001). The households drew on multiple financial strategies to cope with TB costs where 66.7% borrowed and 25.4% sold household property. About two-thirds lost their jobs and another two-thirds lowered their food intake. Being female, delay in diagnosis and being in the intensive phase were significant predictors of catastrophic payment. Catastrophic costs were high among TB households in Alexandria and showed wide variation according to the method used for indirect cost estimation. The main cost driver before diagnosis was the direct medical costs, while it was the indirect costs, post diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramy Mohamed Ghazy
- Tropical Health Department, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21561, Egypt
| | - Malik Sallam
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan
- Department of Clinical Laboratories and Forensic Medicine, Jordan University Hospital, Amman 11942, Jordan
| | - Rasha Ashmawy
- Department of Clinical Research, Maamora Chest Hospital, Alexandria 21923, Egypt
| | | | - Omar Ahmed Reyad
- Internal Medicine and Cardiology Clinical Pharmacy Department, Alexandria University Main Hospital, Alexandria 21526, Egypt
| | - Noha Alaa Hamdy
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy & Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21521, Egypt
| | - Heba Khedr
- MDR-TB Center, Maamora Chest Hospital, Alexandria 21912, Egypt
| | - Rasha Ali Mosallam
- Department of Health Administration and Behavioral Science, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21561, Egypt
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Holistic Approach to Tuberculosis Detection, Treatment and Prevention: Emerging Evidence and Strategies from the Field. Trop Med Infect Dis 2022; 7:tropicalmed7030036. [PMID: 35324583 PMCID: PMC8955418 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed7030036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
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Singh PK. Strengthening social protection for TB patients: Lessons from COVID-19. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 2:e0000950. [PMID: 36962874 PMCID: PMC10021847 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0000950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Aung ST, Nyunt WW, Moe MM, Aung HL, Lwin T. The fourth national tuberculosis prevalence survey in Myanmar. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 2:e0000588. [PMID: 36962394 PMCID: PMC10021272 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0000588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in Myanmar. The fourth National TB Prevalence Survey was conducted in 2017-2018 to determine the actual burden of TB not only at the national level but also for three subnational strata (the states, regions other than Yangon, and the Yangon region) and develop a more efficacious country strategy on TB care and control. One hundred and thirty eight clusters were selected by population proportionate sampling. Adult (≥15 years of age) residents having lived for 2 weeks or more in the households of the selected clusters were invited to participate in the survey. The survey participants were screened for TB by a questionnaire and digital chest X-ray (CXR) after providing written informed consent. Individuals with a positive symptom screen and/or chest X-ray suggestive of TB were asked to provide sputum samples to test for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) by Ziehl-Neelsen direct light microscopy, Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra (Xpert), and culture (Ogawa media). Bacteriologically confirmed TB cases were defined by an expert panel. Of 75 676 eligible residents, 66 480 (88%) participated, and 10 082 (15%) screened positive for TB. Among these, 322 participants were defined as bacteriologically confirmed TB cases. Cough lasting for two weeks or longer, one of the criteria used for screening for symptoms, could detect only 14% (45/322) of the study cases. The estimated prevalence of bacteriologically confirmed adult pulmonary TB was 468 (95% CI: 391-546) per 100,000. The prevalence was much higher among males, the older age group, urban Yangon and remote villages. In-depth interview with the participants on TB treatment showed that none of them was diagnosed in a TB health centre (primary care facilities). The prevalence of TB in Myanmar is still high due to challenges such as uncontrolled urbanization, an ageing population, migration, and poor access to health facilities in remote areas. New screening and diagnostic tools might help to detect more TB patients. There is a need to lay greater emphasis on multisectoral approaches, decentralization and the integration of basic TB services into primary care facilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si Thu Aung
- Department of Public Health, Ministry of Health and Sports, Naypyitaw, Myanmar
| | - Wint Wint Nyunt
- National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory, National Tuberculosis Programme, Ministry of Health and Sports, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Myat Myat Moe
- National Tuberculosis Programme, Ministry of Health and Sports, Naypyitaw, Myanmar
| | - Htin Lin Aung
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Thandar Lwin
- Department of Public Health, Ministry of Health and Sports, Naypyitaw, Myanmar
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