Digital storytelling as a tool for community education and stigma reduction in tuberculosis

This study compared digital storytelling with standard community education to reduce tuberculosis (TB) stigma. Prior work on digital storytelling in TB control often focuses on uptake, so effects measured during follow-up are less clear. A prospective mixed-methods evaluation compared community clusters. Surveys were completed before exposure and again at 3 months (90 days), alongside interviews and 30-day engagement records. The between-group difference in mean change in stigma score was -1.4 [-2.3, -0.4] with p = 0.006, which is consistent with larger average stigma reductions with digital storytelling. The between-group difference in mean change in knowledge score was 0.9 [0.1, 1.7] with p = 0.028. Combining the survey results with engagement data and interview themes linked score changes to engagement and acceptability. Because communities were not assigned at random and spillover was possible, these findings should be interpreted as comparative evidence from the evaluated setting and may inform TB program implementers and community health worker supervisors planning stigma-safe education activities.