Interventions to Improve Adherence to Medication on Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis Patients: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Diseases
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Non-adherence to anti-tuberculosis (TB) drugs fuels the spread of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), a global health threat.
• Poor adherence prolongs treatment, increases adverse events, and raises financial burdens, necessitating effective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review of interventions aimed at enhancing medication adherence in patients undergoing MDR-TB treatment.
• To identify and synthesize existing research on strategies that improve patient compliance with MDR-TB therapy.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review of observational studies was performed using data from PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus.
• Data synthesis was conducted using Rayyan AI, adhering to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.

Main Results:

• Eleven articles detailed various MDR-TB treatment adherence interventions.
• Psychological counseling/education interventions showed the most significant improvement in adherence.
• Other effective interventions included Medication Event Reminder Monitors (MERM), Video Directly Observed Therapy (VDOT), financial support, mHealth applications, and DOTS/DOTS-Plus programs.
• Electronic Dose Monitoring (EDM) devices demonstrated limited impact on MDR-TB patient adherence.

Conclusions:

• MDR-TB treatment adherence interventions can facilitate patient recovery.
• While most studies showed significant improvements, heterogeneity exists.
• Further research is recommended to develop personalized, context-specific interventions and assess their cost-effectiveness.