Perceptions, preferences, and experiences of tuberculosis education and counselling among patients and providers in Kampala, Uganda: A qualitative study

摘要

Tuberculosis (TB) education seeks to increase patient knowledge aboutTB, while TB counselling seeks to offer tailored advice and support formedication adherence. While universally recommended, little is knownabout how to provide effective, efficient, patient-centred TB educationand counselling (TEC) in low-income, high HIV-TB burden settings. Wesought to characterise stakeholder perceptions of TEC in a public,primary care facility in Kampala, Uganda, by conducting focus groupdiscussions with health workers and TB patients in the TB and HIVclinics. Participants valued TEC but reported that high-quality TEC israrely provided, because of a lack of time, space, staff, planning, andprioritisation given to TEC. To improve TEC, they recommendedadopting practices that have proven effective in the HIV clinic, includingbetter specifying educational content, and employing peer educatorsfocused on TEC. Patients and health workers suggested that TEC shouldnot only improve TB patient knowledge and adherence, but should alsoempower and assist all those undergoing evaluation for TB, whetherconfirmed or not, to educate their households and communities aboutTB. Community-engaged research with patients and front-line providersidentified opportunities to streamline and standardise the delivery ofTEC using a patient-centred, peer-educator model.