The Global TB Program of the World Health Organization (WHO) developed an agenda for action on digital health exploring what contributions can be offered by technology to the care and control of TB.
Role of tech in TB treatment (Photo credit: Pix4free)
New Delhi: Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of death from a single infectious agent and is a major contributor to suffering worldwide, with an estimated 10 million new cases every year. Directly observed therapy (DOT) has been utilised by TB programs in the past to address adherence; however, questions have been raised regarding the patient burden, ethical constraints, efficacy in enhancing treatment outcomes, and the patient burden, ethical limitations, effectiveness in improving treatment outcomes, and the long-term feasibility of DOT for health systems.
Dr John Muchahari, Consultant – Pulmonary Medicine, Manipal Hospitals Goa, said, “The Global TB Program of the World Health Organization (WHO) developed an agenda for action on digital health exploring what contributions can be offered by technology to the care and control of TB.”
Benefits of digital tech for TB
Additionally, the benefits of digital technologies for drug adherence are becoming more widely acknowledged. With the expansion of mobile phone and cellular access worldwide, digital adherence technologies (DATs) may facilitate alternative approaches for improving adherence.
In SMS-based strategies, SMS texts remind patients to take medications; many approaches allow the patient to send an SMS response to indicate the dose has been taken patients receiving 99DOTS are given TB drugs in blister packs enclosed in personalised envelopes. The inner envelope flap reveals a concealed phone number that the patient must call toll-free to report a dose taken.
This happens when a dose is dispensed. “In video DOT (VDOT), video conferencing via smartphone or computer allows health care practitioners (HCPs) to watch patients take medications, either in real-time or at a different time using recorded video,” the expert added.
Digital pillboxes have pre-programmed audio-visual reminders embedded in the pillbox. As a stand-in for a dose taken, opening and closing the box to access drugs is tracked. Microchips called indigestible sensors are found in some TB drugs. A signal is transmitted to an adhesive monitor worn by the patient upon contact with the gastric fluid after consumption. After that, the data is sent to the patient’s smartphone and a server so that medical professionals can view the patient’s dosage history.
Finally, unlike chronic diseases that require lifelong treatment (eg, hypertension, diabetes mellitus), TB treatment has a defined duration, such that monitoring the entire treatment course with DATs may be feasible. Therefore, certain digital technologies can support TB treatment efforts while reducing both patient and provider costs, as well as patient inconvenience.
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