Applied Sciences, Vol. 15, Pages 12910: Improving Tuberculosis Medication Adherence: A Millennial Disease in the Age of New Technologies: Application of the World Health Organization-Multidimensional Adherence Model: A Review

Applied Sciences doi: 10.3390/app152412910

Authors:
Lucky Norah Katende-Kyenda

Tuberculosis is a serious public health issue. It is the most prevalent cause of death from a single infectious agent and globally, it is among the top 10 causes. One of the most crucial strategies to combat the TB pandemic is to administer basic anti-TB treatment for at least six months. However, the long duration of TB therapy raised the issue of non-adherence, which negatively impacted the clinical and public health outcomes of TB treatment. As a result, directly observed therapy has been used as a standard method to encourage adherence to anti-TB medication. However, this strategy has been challenged because of the difficulty, stigma, decreased economic output, and decreased quality of life, all of which might eventually make adherence problems worse. Furthermore, there is disagreement regarding the efficacy of the directly observed treatment (DOT) strategy in enhancing anti-TB adherence. Digital technology might therefore be a key tool to enhance DOT implementation. The World Health Organization Multidimensional Adherence Model (WHO-MAM) may be used with digital technologies to further improve drug adherence and change behavior. Aim: This paper aimed at reviewing the latest evidence on TB drug non-adherence, its contributing factors, the efficacy of DOT and its alternatives, and the use of digital technologies and WHO-MAM to improve medication adherence. This report analyzed linked publications using a narrative review process to address the study goals. Conventional DOT has several drawbacks when it comes to TB therapy. Medication adherence may be enhanced by incorporating WHO-MAM into the creation of digital technologies. To address several challenges associated with DOT implementation, digital technology offers a chance to enhance drug adherence.

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Lucky Norah Katende-Kyenda www.mdpi.com