4 research outputs found
The impact of digital health technologies on tuberculosis treatment: a systematic review
Digital technologies are increasingly harnessed to support treatment of persons with
tuberculosis (TB). Since in-person directly observed treatment (DOT) can be resource intensive and
challenging to implement, these technologies may have the potential to improve adherence and clinical
outcomes. We reviewed the effect of these technologies on TB treatment adherence and patient outcomes.
We searched several bibliographical databases for studies reporting the effect of digital interventions,
including short message service (SMS), video-observed therapy (VOT) and medication monitors (MMs),
to support treatment for active TB. Only studies with a control group and which reported effect estimates
were included.
Four trials showed no statistically significant effect on treatment completion when SMS was added to
standard care. Two observational studies of VOT reported comparable treatment completion rates when
compared with in-person DOT. MMs increased the probability of cure (RR 2.3, 95% CI 1.6–3.4) in one
observational study, and one trial reported a statistically significant reduction in missed treatment doses
relative to standard care (adjusted means ratio 0.58, 95% CI 0.42–0.79).
Evidence of the effect of digital technologies to improve TB care remains limited. More studies of better
quality are needed to determine how such technologies can enhance programme performance