Perceived strategies to minimise the development of new Tuberculosis cases at Collins Chabane Municipality, Vhembe District

Abstract

Tuberculosis remains the world’s most deadly infectious disease claiming more than a million lives each year and affecting millions more, with enormous impacts on families and communities. In 2019 alone, about 10 million new cases of tuberculosis infection were recorded globally. Of these new cases, South Africa contributed 322 000, with 78 000 deaths attributed to tuberculosis. Many factors are associated with the development of new tuberculosis infection cases. The aim of this study was to investigate the perceived strategies to deal with such factors so as to minimise the development of new tuberculosis cases. The study was conducted in the Collins Chabane Municipality. The Qualitative exploratory design was adopted to conduct this study. Multi-staging sampling techniques was followed to choose facilities and participants for this study. A sample of 20 patients, with a confirmed tuberculosis diagnosis, who are on treatment and 20 health care workers trained on tuberculosis management, was selected to participate in this study using non-probability purposive sampling method. Individual interviews were conducted to collect data. Data was thematically analysed. Guba and Lincon’s criteria were used to ensure trustworthiness of the study findings. The ethical issues considered permission to conduct a study, informed consent, voluntary participation, confidentiality and anonymity. factors contribute to the development of new TB cases namely, Social factors (in the form of overcrowding, smocking and imprisonment), Biological factors (in the form of delay in seeking health intervention and undernutrition), and Health system factors (in the form of poor household contact training). With regard to the perceived strategies to minimise the development of new TB cases, the study discovered that triage, cough etiquette and reduction in TB diagnosis delay (administrative control); use of germicidal ultraviolet lights and good ventilation (environmental control); and training healthcare workers on respiratory measures (respiratory control) are perceived to be the strategies helping Collins Chabane to minimise the development of new TB cases. The determinants of TB disease need to be tackled through intersectoral collaboration.