Experiences of Patients with Tuberculosis Who Underwent Completed TB Treatment during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Indonesia: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Background: The scope of tuberculosis (TB) elimination programs, such as case detection, rapiddiagnostics, and treatment success, has dramatically worsened because of the COVID-19 pandemic.Therefore, this study aimed to explore the experiences of patients with TB who had completed theirtreatment during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: This qualitative study was performed using content analysis approach between May–July2022. A total of 14 patients with TB who agreed to participate in this study were selected usingpurposive sampling. In-depth interviews were conducted using semi-structured interview guidelines,and the interviews ended after information saturation occurred. Data analysis was carried outconcurrently to identify the main themes. The NVIVO software application version 12 was utilized toanalyze the data.Results: Several key themes emerged from the study, shedding light on various aspects of theexperiences of TB patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. These themes encompass (1) Barriers toTB Diagnosis during the COVID-19 Pandemic; (2) Challenges in TB Treatment during the COVID-19Pandemic; and (3) Support Resources during TB Treatment in pandemic era.Conclusion: Patients have difficulty receiving healthcare because of changes in TB health servicesbrought on by the pandemic. This research advances our knowledge of the effects of the COVID-19pandemic on patients with TB and lays the groundwork for improved patient support and interventions.

Keywords

• tuberculosis
• treatment
• experiences
• covid-19 pandemic
• qualitative research