‘That's when I struggle' … Exploring challenges faced by care givers of children with tuberculosis in Botswana
OBJECTIVE: To explore the challenges faced by care givers of children on treatment for tuberculosis (TB) to inform a more child-friendly approach to Botswana's National TB Programme (NTP) strategy.
DESIGN: Qualitative study using 28 in-depth interviews with care givers of children receiving anti-tuberculosis treatment.
RESULTS: Care givers identified five main challenges: long delays in their child's diagnosis, difficulty attending clinic for daily treatment, difficulty administering TB medications, stock-outs of TB medications leading to treatment interruptions, and inadequate TB education. Care givers prioritized these same five areas to improve the overall management of their child's TB.
CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that despite accessing care through an NTP that adheres to World Health Organization guidelines, care givers for children on treatment in Botswana continue to encounter significant challenges. While each of these represents a potential threat to successful treatment, they can be addressed with relatively small systematic and programmatic adjustments. These results will inform the next version of the Botswana NTP guidelines towards a more child- and care giver-centered approach.
Keywords: Botswana; barriers; care givers; pediatric TB; qualitative research
Document Type: Research Article
Affiliations: 1: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA; Center for Public Health Initiatives and Master of Public Health Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA 2: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Center for Public Health Initiatives and Master of Public Health Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana 3: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Center for Public Health Initiatives and Master of Public Health Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA 4: Department of Paediatric & Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana School of Medicine, Gaborone, Botswana 5: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA; Department of Paediatric & Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana School of Medicine, Gaborone, Botswana, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Botswana-UPenn Partnership, Gaborone, Botswana 6: Botswana-UPenn Partnership, Gaborone, Botswana 7: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA; Department of Paediatric & Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana School of Medicine, Gaborone, Botswana; The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Botswana-UPenn Partnership, Gaborone, Botswana
Publication date: 01 October 2016
The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IJTLD) is for clinical research and epidemiological studies on lung health, including articles on TB, TB-HIV and respiratory diseases such as COVID-19, asthma, COPD, child lung health and the hazards of tobacco and air pollution. Individuals and institutes can subscribe to the IJTLD online or in print – simply email us at [email protected] for details.
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