Abstract:

Acceptability of antituberculosis drugs by affected caregivers and children is key to disease elimination. This is affected by many factors including drug, patients, and health institution-related factors. This study aims to assess the influence of the introduction of dispersible formulation on acceptability of antituberculosis drugs. A historical cohort design was used to assess and compare the acceptability of old loose non-dispersible and new dispersible antituberculosis drugs, using a convergent parallel mixed method of data collection. Determinants of tuberculosis drug acceptability were assessed using binary logistic regression. The findings were triangulated with results from the qualitative data. The rate of acceptability of the new dispersible formulation, 112 (88.2%) was significantly higher than the rate of acceptability of old loose non-dispersible drugs, 13 (10.5%), p<0.001. The median age of children with good acceptability, 7.0 (4.0 – 10.0) years was significantly lower than those with poor acceptability, 10.0 (8.0 – 13.0) years, p <0.001. Drug formulation was a significant predictor of acceptability; the fixed-dose dispersible drug had a higher probability of being acceptable relative to lose non-dispersible formulation, (Odd Ratio = 62.3, p <0.001, 95% CI= 25.3 – 153.3). The qualitative data showed that health education about tuberculosis has positive influences on drug acceptability. In conclusion, the formulation of drugs is a key factor in the acceptability of antituberculosis drugs. Hence, there is a need to further promote the recently introduced child-friendly antituberculosis drugs, coupled with strengthening the health education of caregivers to achieve tuberculosis elimination.

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