# Comprehensive care lowers multimorbidity, impairment, disability and absenteeism in people with TB

## TL;DR

Comprehensive care during TB treatment reduces health issues, impairments, and absenteeism in TB survivors.

## Contribution

A new intervention package for early screening and functional impairment assessment in TB patients is proposed and tested.

## Key findings

- Screening and assessment reduced symptoms and harmful behaviors in TB patients.
- Functional impairments and absenteeism were significantly lowered with the intervention.
- Early intervention shows promise for improving long-term TB outcomes.

## Abstract

A substantial proportion of TB survivors experience poor health, live with comorbidities or experience impairments or disability, even when TB is successfully treated. In this study, implemented in Kenya, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, this disease burden was addressed through a package of screening, referral and assessment for functional impairments at the start and end of TB treatment. Reductions in symptoms, harmful behaviours, functional impairments and absenteeism were observed. These promising results demonstrate the importance of early intervention. They could be enhanced by implementing this package of interventions in other high TB burden settings and by longer-term follow up.