Pharmacist-Led Educational Intervention for Improving Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients’ Treatment Adherence in Penang, Malaysia
Author(s)
Rabbiya Ahmad, MPhil1, Amer Hayat Khan, PhD1, Siti Maisharah Sheikh Ghadzi, PhD1, Irfhan Ali Bin Hyder Ali, MBBS2.
1Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia, 2Respiratory Clinic, Hospital Pulau Pinang, Penang, Malaysia.
1Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia, 2Respiratory Clinic, Hospital Pulau Pinang, Penang, Malaysia.
OBJECTIVES: Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) remains a significant public health challenge, particularly in developing regions like Malaysia, where adherence to treatment and patient outcomes are often compromised. Pharmacist-led educational interventions have emerged as a promising strategy to address these challenges by improving treatment adherence, enhancing disease knowledge, and boosting health-related quality of life in patients.
METHODS: This study employed a prospective, randomized approach to evaluate the impact of a pharmacist-led educational intervention on treatment adherence among patients with PTB. The quantitative phase involved a randomized controlled trial with 206 participants, split evenly into intervention and control groups. The intervention group received structured pharmacist-led counseling based on the health belief model, while the control group received standard care, i.e., directly observed therapy (DOT) from the nurses. Data collection occurred at baseline, two, four, and six months.
RESULTS: At baseline, no significant differences were observed between groups in most Health Belief Model (HBM) domains, except perceived barriers, which were higher in the intervention group (p=0.01). At month 2, the intervention group showed significantly greater improvement in perceived susceptibility, barriers, cues to action, and MARS-5 adherence scores compared to the control group (all p<0.05). By month 4, the intervention group continued to outperform the control group in perceived susceptibility, severity, barriers, self-efficacy, and adherence (MARS-5: 14.9 vs 14.2, p=0.01). At month 6, this trend persisted, with the intervention group demonstrating higher scores in all key HBM domains, notably susceptibility (18.8 vs 17.8, p=0.001), benefits (36.1 vs 33.4, p=0.02), and adherence (MARS-5: 16.4 vs 15.1, p=0.01).
CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight pharmacists' critical role in PTB management through patient education and support. Integrating pharmacists into TB care teams may be a viable strategy to enhance PTB management, reduce the burden of drug-resistant PTB, and improve overall patient well-being.
METHODS: This study employed a prospective, randomized approach to evaluate the impact of a pharmacist-led educational intervention on treatment adherence among patients with PTB. The quantitative phase involved a randomized controlled trial with 206 participants, split evenly into intervention and control groups. The intervention group received structured pharmacist-led counseling based on the health belief model, while the control group received standard care, i.e., directly observed therapy (DOT) from the nurses. Data collection occurred at baseline, two, four, and six months.
RESULTS: At baseline, no significant differences were observed between groups in most Health Belief Model (HBM) domains, except perceived barriers, which were higher in the intervention group (p=0.01). At month 2, the intervention group showed significantly greater improvement in perceived susceptibility, barriers, cues to action, and MARS-5 adherence scores compared to the control group (all p<0.05). By month 4, the intervention group continued to outperform the control group in perceived susceptibility, severity, barriers, self-efficacy, and adherence (MARS-5: 14.9 vs 14.2, p=0.01). At month 6, this trend persisted, with the intervention group demonstrating higher scores in all key HBM domains, notably susceptibility (18.8 vs 17.8, p=0.001), benefits (36.1 vs 33.4, p=0.02), and adherence (MARS-5: 16.4 vs 15.1, p=0.01).
CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight pharmacists' critical role in PTB management through patient education and support. Integrating pharmacists into TB care teams may be a viable strategy to enhance PTB management, reduce the burden of drug-resistant PTB, and improve overall patient well-being.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2025-11, ISPOR Europe 2025, Glasgow, Scotland
Value in Health, Volume 28, Issue S2
Code
HSD86
Topic
Clinical Outcomes, Epidemiology & Public Health, Health Service Delivery & Process of Care
Disease
Infectious Disease (non-vaccine), No Additional Disease & Conditions/Specialized Treatment Areas, Respiratory-Related Disorders (Allergy, Asthma, Smoking, Other Respiratory)