Barriers to Treatment Adherence in Ukrainian Tuberculosis Control Programs (Research Brief)

This project seeks to tackle roadblocks to treatment adherence in tuberculosis (TB) treatment programs that are unique to the Ukrainian context, with special attention given to the concerns of TB/HIV co-infection. Rather than seeking to design or impose new health interventions, which are often met with resistance, this project seeks to identify current practices that could be altered, enhanced, or expanded in order to improve treatment adherence. The research presented here consists of ethnographic interviews conducted among TB patients and treatment providers in two major cities, Kiev and Odessa, which represent two very different responses to Ukraine’s TB epidemic.

Jennifer J. Carroll, of the University of Washington, was a 2012-2013 Embassy Policy Specialist (EPS) fellow.