Volume : 7, Issue : 6, June - 2018

Public Health - I T Innovative Interface in Tuberculosis Treatment

Sophie Simon, R. R. Shinde

Abstract :

Background- The integration of Information Technology (IT)into Public health can help develop technical and managerial interventions to provide optimum solutions to public health problems. A team comprising of doctors, engineers, designers, pharmacist and healthcare entrepreneur deliberated to evolve solutions to enhance adherence and monitoring in tuberculosis treatment. The proposed IT solution addressed  three key factors for non-adherence-Access to  medication,  awareness  and  monitoring. This paper explores the feasibility and acceptability of the smart pill box  developed  for  easier  access. Objectives  1.  To develop a smartpill box for drug distribution and to test its acceptability.  2.  Tovalidate the case of facilitation of drug dispensing for the beneficiaries.Methods- A pilot study was conducted at three differentclinics wherein 60 adult CAT1 tuberculosis patients operated the pill box . Afeedback regarding itsutilityand ease of operation was taken  thereafter. 7 key informant interviews and a focus group discussion were conducted to further evaluate the feasibility and appropriateness of this technology.Results-Out of 60 patients, 30 operated the pill box independently, 16 and   14  required repeated instructions and a demonstration  respectively. Content analysis of interview transcripts and FGD revealedthat problems such as unsuitability of time and place of drug delivery could be overcome with the use of this technology.Conclusion-This innovation has all the potential to be a eakthrough in facilitating AKT dispensing and improving adherence.<o:p></o:p>

Keywords :

Information technology tuberculosis adherence

Article:

Download PDF Journal DOI : 10.15373/2249555X

Cite This Article:

Sophie Simon, R. R. Shinde, Public Health‾I T Innovative Interface in Tuberculosis Treatment, GLOBAL JOURNAL FOR RESEARCH ANALYSIS : Volume-7 | Issue-6 | June-2018