Adoption of Innovative Approaches to Ensure Continuity of Quality TB Services During COVID-19 Pandemic in Lusaka and Livingstone, Zambia. (Telemedicine in TB) (Telemed TB)

March 17, 2025 updated by: Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia
Following the negative impact of public health program services including TB services by the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020, CIDRZ conducted a program evaluation for remote patient follow up for TB treatment and prevention through a differentiated service delivery model (DSD), offering clinical monitoring and psychosocial support while minimizing contact with the health facilities. The project was implemented between February 2022 to March 2023 and was funded through Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID-19 Response International Task Force - CARES funding. While DSD models have been widely adopted in HIV programs , DSD is a relatively new and exciting approach for TB treatment and prevention programs.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

During the COVID-19 pandemic, government restrictions on movement decreased access to health care. Although DSD models have been widely adopted in HIV programs, this is a relatively new approach for TB programs. Zambia's NTLP has already changed policy to allow for such adaptations of service delivery, but these adaptations are not universally implemented and have not been evaluated at this time. This project aims to evaluate these DSD models for both TB treatment (Anti-TB Treatment ATT) and TPT using standardized indicators. To complement these DSD models, innovative approaches like digital (texting/SMS and phone) treatment support and remote monitoring of adverse events will be adopted using bi-directional SMS through use of the rapid pro system, a tool that allows medical information to be gathered and shared via a cell phone.

  1. To implement TPT in 6MMD and ATT DSD models at 5 sites in Lusaka and Livingstone districts
  2. To assess acceptability of TPT in 6MMD and ATT DSD models at implementation sties
  3. To assess trends in TPT coverage and completion rates from pre-implementation through implementation periods using aggregate program performance data
  4. To assess trends in ATT completion rates from pre-implementation through implementation periods using aggregate program performance data
  5. To inform the Ministry of Health on a systematic approach for digital follow up and screening for TB and TPT RoCs aligned to MMD models of care.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

3318

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Zambia
      • Lusaka, Zambia, 10101
        • Lusaka and Livingstone districts

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

TB ARM

  • All ROCs presenting to chest clinic for TB treatment between February 2022 and September 2022 were considered for inclusion if:

Diagnosed with TB (new cases or retreatment cases) 18 years and above Willing and able to provide consent Not pregnant or breastfeeding No MDR TB

TPT ARM

All ROCs presenting to the ART clinic between February 2022 and September 2022 were considered for inclusion if they were:

18 years or above virally supressed with no symptoms or diagnosis suggestive of TB on ART for more than 6 months on 6MMD Consented to participate in the project did not receive TPT in the last 3 years not pregnant or breastfeeding women not incarcerated

Exclusion Criteria:

ATT ARM

  • RoCs those TB diagnosis is not confirmed
  • RoCs who are less than 18 years old
  • RoCs not able to provide consent for program evaluation participation
  • RoCs with MDR TB

TPT ARM

  • RoCs with symptoms suggestive of TB, diagnosed or confirmed with TB diagnosis

    • RoCs who received TPT in the last 3 years
    • RoCs who are less than 18 years old
    • RoCs not able to provide consent for program evaluation participation
    • Pregnant and breastfeeding women
    • Incarcerated persons

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Non-Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: TB treatment ARM

Beginning February 2022, we offered ATT via 2-month MMD during intensive and 4-month MMD during continuation phases.

In-clinic visits during 6-months of ATT were reduced from 7 under standard of care to 3 visits in DSD, while ensuring robust adherence and adverse event screening.

Remote monitoring consisted of structured SMS (months 1 to 5) and phone (week 2 and month 3) follow-up to assess adherence and screen for side effects. If SMS were not returned, a phone or home visit was triggered.
Behavioral: Differentiated service delivery approach (DSD) in TB treatment and prevention.
Although DSD models have been widely adopted in HIV programs, DSD is a relatively new approach for TB programs because of an historical reliance on directly observed therapy (DOT) (6). DSD provides opportunities to improve health outcomes and reduce the burden of seeking care for people diagnosed with TB.
Active Comparator: TPT DSD

Beginning February 2022, we offered TPT aligned to 6MMD ART model following standard of care processes with added support (See below).

Remote monitoring consisted of structured SMS (months 1 to 5) and phone (week 2 and month 3) follow-up to assess adherence and screen for side effects.

ROCs that did not respond to the SMS within 2 days were further contacted via phone and if not reachable a home visit was done.

ROCs that reported at least one side effect or more were followed up with virtual reviews by clinicians.

At enrollment ROCs reading language of preference was documented and the SMS was sent in their preferred language.
Behavioral: Differentiated service delivery approach (DSD) in TB treatment and prevention.
Although DSD models have been widely adopted in HIV programs, DSD is a relatively new approach for TB programs because of an historical reliance on directly observed therapy (DOT) (6). DSD provides opportunities to improve health outcomes and reduce the burden of seeking care for people diagnosed with TB.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
TB and TPT Outcomes
Time Frame: 12 months
• The primary program evaluation outcomes of interest are the TPT and ATT completion rates in the prospective cohort, defined as the fraction of participants completing TPT or ATT among those who initiated TPT or ATT
12 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia

Collaborators

Ministry of Health, Zambia
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID-19 Response International Task Force - CARES funding

Investigators

  • Study Director: Mwanza Wa Mwanza, MD, Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

February 4, 2022

Primary Completion (Actual)

March 31, 2023

Study Completion (Actual)

March 31, 2023

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 11, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 17, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

March 25, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

March 25, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 17, 2025

Last Verified

January 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • Telemedicine in TB
  • NU2GGH002251 (Other Grant/Funding Number: Center for Disease Control and Prevention)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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