Treatment Adherence and Outcomes in Patients With Pulmonary Tuberculosis Treated With Telemedicine: A Scoping Review

Patient nonadherence to drug usage is a major barrier to treating Tuberculosis (TB). Telemedicine has shown promise in treatment monitoring and evaluation. This paper aims to explore scientific evidence of telemedicine application in TB treatment to promote widespread adoption in areas that are remote, or with poor road networks from health facilities. Articles published from 2010 to 2023 on the adherence and outcomes in pulmonary tuberculosis with the use of telemedicine were reviewed. A scoping review of the studies was conducted by two authors independently, following the PRISMA guidelines to identify relevant articles. Telemedicine interventions have shown improvements in medication adherence, treatment completion, cure rates, and smear conversion among TB patients. The available evidence supports the beneficial effect of telemedicine in improving treatment adherence and outcomes in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. However, the effect and outcomes varied across studies, indicating the need for further research and standardization of telemedicine interventions.