S Satyanarayana1, R Subbaraman2, P Shete3, G Gore4, J Das5, A Cattamanchi3, K Mayer6, D Menzies7, A D Harries8, P Hopewell3, M Pai9. 1. Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, and McGill International TB Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; Center for Operations Research, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Paris, France. 2. Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Partners for Urban Knowledge, Action and Research, Mumbai, India. 3. Curry International Tuberculosis Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA; Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, California, USA. 4. Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, California, USA. 5. Life Sciences Library, McGill University, Montreal, Canada. 6. Development Economics Research Group, World Bank, Washington DC, USA. 7. The Fenway Institute and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston Massachusetts, USA. 8. Center for Operations Research, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Paris, France; Respiratory Epidemiology and Clinical Research Unit, Montreal Chest Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada. 9. Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, and McGill International TB Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: While Indian studies have assessed care providers' knowledge and practices, there is no systematic review on the quality of tuberculosis (TB) care. METHODS: We searched multiple sources to identify studies (2000-2014) on providers' knowledge and practices. We used the International Standards for TB Care to benchmark quality of care. RESULTS: Of the 47 studies included, 35 were questionnaire surveys and 12 used chart abstraction. None assessed actual practice using standardised patients. Heterogeneity in the findings precluded meta-analysis. Of 22 studies evaluating provider knowledge about using sputum smears for diagnosis, 10 found that less than half of providers had correct knowledge; 3 of 4 studies assessing self-reported practices by providers found that less than a quarter reported ordering smears for patients with chest symptoms. In 11 of 14 studies that assessed treatment, less than one third of providers knew the standard regimen for drug-susceptible TB. Adherence to standards in practice was generally lower than correct knowledge of those standards. Eleven studies with both public and private providers found higher levels of appropriate knowledge/practice in the public sector. CONCLUSIONS: Available evidence suggests suboptimal quality of TB care, particularly in the private sector. Improvement of quality of care should be a priority for India.
BACKGROUND: While Indian studies have assessed care providers' knowledge and practices, there is no systematic review on the quality of tuberculosis (TB) care. METHODS: We searched multiple sources to identify studies (2000-2014) on providers' knowledge and practices. We used the International Standards for TB Care to benchmark quality of care. RESULTS: Of the 47 studies included, 35 were questionnaire surveys and 12 used chart abstraction. None assessed actual practice using standardised patients. Heterogeneity in the findings precluded meta-analysis. Of 22 studies evaluating provider knowledge about using sputum smears for diagnosis, 10 found that less than half of providers had correct knowledge; 3 of 4 studies assessing self-reported practices by providers found that less than a quarter reported ordering smears for patients with chest symptoms. In 11 of 14 studies that assessed treatment, less than one third of providers knew the standard regimen for drug-susceptible TB. Adherence to standards in practice was generally lower than correct knowledge of those standards. Eleven studies with both public and private providers found higher levels of appropriate knowledge/practice in the public sector. CONCLUSIONS: Available evidence suggests suboptimal quality of TB care, particularly in the private sector. Improvement of quality of care should be a priority for India.
Authors: John W Peabody; Jeff Luck; Peter Glassman; Sharad Jain; Joyce Hansen; Maureen Spell; Martin Lee Journal: Ann Intern Med Date: 2004-11-16 Impact factor: 25.391