Digital Storytelling and Community Engagement to Find Missing TB Cases in Rural Nuh, India

Nuh, Haryana, is one of India’s least developed districts. To improve TB case notifications, ZMQ carried out an active case-finding (ACF) intervention conducted by community health workers (MIRAs) using a digital TB storytelling platform to create TB awareness in the community. The combined storytel...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Subhi Quraishi, Hilmi Quraishi, Hemlata Yadav, Ayushi Singh, Ilmana Fasih, Nathaly Aguilera Vasquez, Lavanya Huria, Tripti Pande, Olive Mumba, Vishnu Vardhan Kamineni, Amera Khan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-03-01
Series:Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/7/3/49
Description
Summary:Nuh, Haryana, is one of India’s least developed districts. To improve TB case notifications, ZMQ carried out an active case-finding (ACF) intervention conducted by community health workers (MIRAs) using a digital TB storytelling platform to create TB awareness in the community. The combined storytelling and ACF intervention were conducted house-to-house or in community group settings. Steps included (A) the development of digital TB awareness-raising stories using a participatory approach called Story Labs; (B) the implementation of the intervention; and (C) process, outcome, and impact evaluation of these activities. Six digital stories were created and used during ACF in which 19,345 people were screened and 255 people were diagnosed with TB. Of 731 participants surveyed, the stories were well received and resulted in an increase in TB knowledge. ACF activities resulted in a 56% increase in bacteriologically confirmed TB and an 8% decrease in all forms of TB compared to baseline. All form notifications may have been impacted by COVID-19 lockdowns. Digital TB storytelling can improve TB awareness and knowledge, particularly for low-literacy populations. The use of these tools may benefit ACF campaigns and improve TB case finding.
ISSN:2414-6366