ABSTRACT
Background: The current six months regimen for drug-susceptible tuberculosis (TB) is long, complex, and requires adherence monitoring. TB hair drug level assay is one innovative approach to monitor TB treatment adherence however, its acceptability in the context of African multi-cultural settings is not known. Objective: To determine the acceptability of hair harvest and testing as a TB therapeutic drug monitoring method. Methods: The study explored perceptions, and lived experiences among TB patients with regard to using hair harvest and testing as a method of tuberculosis therapeutic drug monitoring in the context of their cultural beliefs, and faith. We used a descriptive phenomenological approach. Results: Four main themes emerged namely: participants' perceptions about the cultural meaning of their body parts; perceptions about hair having any medical value or meaning; perceptions about hospitals starting to use hair harvest and testing for routine hospital TB treatment adherence monitoring; and perceived advantages and disadvantages of using hair for treatment adherence monitoring. Overall, we found that using hair to monitor adherence was acceptable to TB patients provided the hair was harvested and tested by a medical worker. Conclusion: Hair harvest for medical testing is acceptable to TB patients on the condition that it is conducted by a medical worker
Subject(s)
Tuberculosis, PulmonaryABSTRACT
Background: Antiretroviral hair drug levels are currently being used to monitor adherence to HIV treatment. There is currently a dearth of literature on the preferred technique(s) of hair harvest for medical testing in the context of African multicultural settings. Objective: To explore the preferred techniques(s) of hair harvest for medical testing among TB patients. Methods: We used a descriptive phenomenological approach to conduct interviews for 15 TB patients from the 06th through the 24th of June 2022. Data was organized by N-VIVO version 10 and analysed step by step using a thematic analytical approach. Results: Participants aged <30 years were more knowledgeable, positively perceived, and experienced about the salon-based hair cutting technique compared to those aged≥30 years old. Participants aged ≥30 had experience, flexibility to use, and were knowledgeable in all three techniques, Overall, for all age categories (<30,30-40 and >40 years), majority of the respondents were knowledgeable, flexible and experienced in using all the three techniques. Conclusion: The majority of TB patients were knowledgeable, experienced and flexible about the hair cutting techniques however, efforts are needed to educate the youth that hair for medical testing can be cut by any of the three techniques without changing their cosmetic look.