Table 1 Sociodemographics and practice experience of sample (N = 50)
From: Formative acceptance of ingestible biosensors to measure adherence to TB medications
Variable | Mean (SD) |
|---|---|
Age (in years) | 34.3 (7.3) |
| Â | Median (IQR) |
|---|---|
Years of experience in managing patients with TB | 4 (3, 6) |
| Â | n (%) |
|---|---|
Sex | |
 Male | 35 (70%) |
 Female | 15 (30%) |
Occupational status | |
 General physician/practitioner (internist) | 26 (52%) |
 Pulmonologist | 15 (30%) |
 *NTEP officials | 7 (14%) |
 WHO consultant | 1 (2%) |
 **RNTCP Senior treatment supervisor | 1 (2%) |
Current clinical practice location | |
 Kerala | 42 (84%) |
 Karnataka | 1 (2%) |
 Madhya Pradesh | 1 (2%) |
 Tamil Nadu | 2 (4%) |
 Telangana | 1 (2%) |
 Uttar Pradesh | 1 (2%) |
 Not specified | 2 (4%) |
Number of patients with TB treated in the past year | |
 0–10 | 13 (26%) |
 11–50 | 21 (42%) |
 51–100 | 8 (16%) |
 More than 100 | 8 (16%) |
Percentage of TB patients with perceived adherence issues | |
 Less than 10% | 25 (50%) |
 10–25% | 19 (38%) |
 26–50% | 4 (8%) |
 51–75% | 0 (0%) |
 76–100% | 2 (4%) |
Perceived reasons for nonadherence among patients on ATT | |
 Cost of transport to DOTS clinic | 5 (10%) |
 Lack of understanding of importance of ATT adherence | 38 (76%) |
 Stigma of TB | 3 (6%) |
 Forgetfulness | 9 (18%) |
 Improvement of symptoms | 26 (52%) |
 Adverse drug effects | 4 (8%) |
 Others | 2 (4%) |
Awareness of adherence monitoring strategies used for ATT | |
 99DOTS | 33 (66%) |
 Regular DOTS | 35 (70%) |
 Health worker’s visit at home | 43 (86%) |
 Phone call or text message reminders | 38 (76%) |
 Digital pill | 10 (20%) |
 Digital pill box | 7 (14%) |
 Other electronic adherence system | 4 (8%) |
 Other | 1 (2%) |
Adherence monitoring strategies previously used with patients | |
 99DOTS | 26 (52%) |
 Regular DOTS | 29 (58%) |
 Health worker’s visit at home | 34 (68%) |
 Phone call or text message reminders | 19 (38%) |
 Digital pill | 0 |
 Digital pill box | 0 |
 Other electronic adherence system | 2 (4%) |
 Other | 2 (4%) |
Asks patients about ATT adherence during clinical visits | |
 Yes | 39 (78%) |
 No | 11 (22%) |