Rachel Forse

Even if a patient is cured, post-treatment clinical, psychological and economic sequelae from tuberculosis (TB), and particularly post-TB lung disease (PTLD), constitute a major source of disability and impaired quality of life. As PTLD was defined only recently, this field of research is nascent, so that policies and investment in PTLD management are absent, especially in high TB burden countries such as Viet Nam. Our SPECTRUM study proposes to promote progress towards person-centred, gender-responsive post-TB care and protection in Viet Nam and globally by measuring clinical burden of and developing a prediction tool for PTLD and subtypes

assessing social and economic challenges individuals and households face post-TB

exploring gender-associated dynamics in TB-affected households as patients and caregivers during and after the episode of TB

and promoting national and global policy translation. A mix of prospective cohort and cross-sectional designs with quantitative and qualitative data collection methods will be used. Key endpoints will entail confirmation of PTLD and subtypes, and measures of health-related quality of life, stigma and catastrophic costs. The study´s key outcomes will be to introduce clinical standards for post-TB care into Viet Nam´s national TB guidelines and develop global policy recommendations for psycho-socioeconomic protection and support, and in doing so to alleviate (predominantly silent) suffering in persons and households with PTLD.