Comparing Catastrophic Costs: Active vs. Passive Tuberculosis Case Finding in Urban Vietnam.

Active case finding (ACF) is a strategy that aims to identify people with tuberculosis (TB) earlier in their disease. This outreach approach may lead to a reduction in catastrophic cost incurrence (costs exceeding 20% of annual household income), a main target of WHO's End TB Strategy. Our study assessed the socio-economic impact of ACF by comparing patient costs in actively and passively detected people with TB. Longitudinal patient cost surveys were prospectively fielded for people with drug-sensitive pulmonary TB, with 105 detected through ACF and 107 passively detected. Data were collected in four Vietnamese cities between October 2020 and March 2022. ACF reduced pre-treatment (USD 10 vs. 101, p < 0.001) and treatment costs (USD 888 vs. 1213, p < 0.001) in TB-affected individuals. Furthermore, it reduced the occurrence of job loss (15.2% vs. 35.5%, p = 0.001) and use of coping strategies (28.6% vs. 45.7%, p = 0.004). However, catastrophic cost incurrence was high at 52.8% and did not differ between cohorts. ACF did not significantly decrease indirect costs, the largest contributor to catastrophic costs. ACF reduces costs but cannot sufficiently reduce the risk of catastrophic costs. As income loss is the largest driver of costs during TB treatment, social protection schemes need to be expanded.

Determinants of household catastrophic costs for drug sensitive tuberculosis patients in Kenya.

BACKGROUND: Despite free diagnosis and treatment for tuberculosis (TB), the costs during treatment impose a significant financial burden on patients and their households. The study sought to identify the determinants for catastrophic costs among patients with drug-sensitive TB (DSTB) and their households in Kenya. METHODS: The data was collected during the 2017 Kenya national patient cost survey from a nationally representative sample (n = 1071). Treatment related costs and productivity losses were estimated. Total costs exceeding 20% of household income were defined as catastrophic and used as the outcome. Multivariable Poisson regression analysis was performed to measure the association between selected individual, household and disease characteristics and occurrence of catastrophic costs. A deterministic sensitivity analysis was carried using different thresholds and the significant predictors were explored. RESULTS: The proportion of catastrophic costs among DSTB patients was 27% (n = 294). Patients with catastrophic costs had higher median productivity losses, 39 h [interquartile range (IQR): 20-104], and total median costs of USD 567 (IQR: 299-1144). The incidence of catastrophic costs had a dose response with household expenditure. The poorest quintile was 6.2 times [95% confidence intervals (CI): 4.0-9.7] more likely to incur catastrophic costs compared to the richest. The prevalence of catastrophic costs decreased with increasing household expenditure quintiles (proportion of catastrophic costs: 59.7%, 32.9%, 23.6%, 15.9%, and 9.5%) from the lowest quintile (Q1) to the highest quintile (Q5). Other determinants included hospitalization: prevalence ratio (PR) = 2.8 (95% CI: 1.8-4.5) and delayed treatment: PR = 1.5 (95% CI: 1.3-1.7). Protective factors included receiving care at a public health facility: PR = 0.8 (95% CI: 0.6-1.0), and a higher body mass index (BMI): PR = 0.97 (95% CI: 0.96-0.98). Pre TB expenditure, hospitalization and BMI were significant predictors in all sensitivity analysis scenarios. CONCLUSIONS: There are significant inequities in the occurrence of catastrophic costs. Social protection interventions in addition to existing medical and public health interventions are important to implement for patients most at risk of incurring catastrophic costs.

Cascade of HIV care and population viral suppression in a high-burden region of Kenya.

INTRODUCTION: Direct measurement of antiretroviral treatment (ART) program indicators essential for evidence-based planning and evaluation - especially HIV incidence, population viral load, and ART eligibility - is rare in sub-Saharan Africa. DESIGN/METHODS: To measure key indicators in rural western Kenya, an area with high HIV burden, we conducted a population survey in September to November 2012 via multistage cluster sampling, recruiting everyone aged 15-59 years living in 3330 randomly selected households. Consenting individuals were interviewed and tested for HIV at home. Participants testing positive were assessed for CD4 cell count and viral load, and their infections classified as either recent or long term based on Limiting Antigen Avidity assays. HIV-negative participants were tested by nucleic acid amplification to detect acute infections. RESULTS: Of 6833 household members eligible for the study, 6076 (94.7% of all women and 81.0% of men) agreed to participate. HIV prevalence and incidence were 24.1% [95% confidence interval [CI] 23.0-25.2] and 1.9 new cases/100 person-years (95% CI 1.1-2.7), respectively. Among HIV-positive participants, 59.4% (95% CI 56.8-61.9) were previously diagnosed, 53.1% (95% CI 50.5-55.7) were receiving care, and 39.7% (95% CI 37.1-42.4) had viral load less than 1000 copies/ml. Applying 2013 WHO recommendations for ART initiation increased the proportion of ART-eligible people from 60.0% (based on national guidelines in place during the survey; 95% CI 57.3-62.7) to 82.0% (95% CI 79.5-84.5). Among HIV-positive people not receiving ART, viral load increased with decreasing CD4 cell count (500-749 vs. ≥750 cells/µl, adjusted mean difference, 0.40 log10 copies/ml, 95% CI 0.20-0.60, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates how population-level data can help optimize HIV programs. Based on these results, new regional programs are prioritizing diagnosis and expanding ART eligibility, key steps to reach undetectable viral load.

Assessing access barriers to tuberculosis care with the tool to Estimate Patients' Costs: pilot results from two districts in Kenya.

BACKGROUND: The poor face geographical, socio-cultural and health system barriers in accessing tuberculosis care. These may cause delays to timely diagnosis and treatment resulting in more advanced disease and continued transmission of TB. By addressing barriers and reasons for delay, costs incurred by TB patients can be effectively reduced. A Tool to Estimate Patients' Costs has been developed. It can assist TB control programs in assessing such barriers. This study presents the Tool and results of its pilot in Kenya. METHODS: The Tool was adapted to the local setting, translated into Kiswahili and pretested. Nine public health facilities in two districts in Eastern Province were purposively sampled. Responses gathered from TB patients above 15 years of age with at least one month of treatment completed and signed informed consent were double entered and analyzed. Follow-up interviews with key informants on district and national level were conducted to assess the impact of the pilot and to explore potential interventions. RESULTS: A total of 208 patients were interviewed in September 2008. TB patients in both districts have a substantial burden of direct (out of pocket; USD 55.8) and indirect (opportunity; USD 294.2) costs due to TB. Inability to work is a major cause of increased poverty. Results confirm a 'medical poverty trap' situation in the two districts: expenditures increased while incomes decreased. Subsequently, TB treatment services were decentralized to fifteen more facilities and other health programs were approached for nutritional support of TB patients and sputum sample transport. On the national level, a TB and poverty sub-committee was convened to develop a comprehensive pro-poor approach. CONCLUSIONS: The Tool to Estimate Patients' Costs proved to be a valuable instrument to assess the costs incurred by TB patients, socioeconomic situations, health-seeking behavior patterns, concurrent illnesses such as HIV, and social and gender-related impacts. The Tool helps to identify and tackle bottlenecks in access to TB care, especially for the poor. Reducing delays in diagnosis, decentralization of services, fully integrated TB/HIV care and expansion of health insurance coverage would alleviate patients' economic constraints due to TB.