Tools
Tools
Soko, Rebecca Nzawa, Burke, Rachael M, Feasey, Helena R A, Sibande, Wakumanya, Nliwasa, Marriott, Henrion, Marc, Khundi, McEwen, Dodd, Peter J, Ku, Chu Chang, Kawalazira, Gift, Choko, Augustine T, Divala, Titus H, Corbett, Elizabeth L and MacPherson, Peter 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0329-9613
(2021)
'Effects of Coronavirus Disease Pandemic on Tuberculosis Notifications, Malawi'. Emerging Infectious Diseases, Vol 27, Issue 7, pp. 1831-1839.
|
Text
nzawa-soko_etal2021.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (1MB) | Preview |
Abstract
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic might affect tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis and patient care. We analyzed a citywide electronic TB register in Blantyre, Malawi and interviewed TB officers. Malawi did not have an official COVID-19 lockdown but closed schools and borders on March 23, 2020. In an interrupted time series analysis, we noted an immediate 35.9% reduction in TB notifications in April 2020; notifications recovered to near prepandemic numbers by December 2020. However, 333 fewer cumulative TB notifications were received than anticipated. Women and girls were affected more (30.7% fewer cases) than men and boys (20.9% fewer cases). Fear of COVID-19 infection, temporary facility closures, inadequate personal protective equipment, and COVID-19 stigma because of similar symptoms to TB were mentioned as reasons for fewer people being diagnosed with TB. Public health measures could benefit control of both TB and COVID-19, but only if TB diagnostic services remain accessible and are considered safe to attend.
Statistics
Actions (login required)
 |
Edit Item |