A structured community engagement strategy to support uptake of TB active case-finding

BACKGROUND:In Lima, Peru, a mobile TB screening program (“TB Móvil”) was implemented in high TB prevalence districts to increase TB screening. Community engagement activities to promote TB Móvil were simultaneously conducted.OBJECTIVE:To describe a structured, theory-driven community engagement strategy to support the uptake of TB Móvil.METHODS:We adapted Popular Opinion Leader (POL), an evidence-based social networking intervention previously used in Peru to promote HIV testing, for TB Móvil. Community health workers, women who run soup kitchens, and motorcycle taxi drivers served as “popular opinion leaders” who disseminated information about TB Móvil in everyday conversations, aided by a multi-media campaign. Performance indicators of POL included the number/characteristics of persons screened; number of multimedia elements; and proportion of persons with abnormal radiographs hearing about TB Móvil before attending.RESULTS:Between February 2019 and January 2020, 63,899 people attended the TB Móvil program at 210 sites; 60.1% were female. The multimedia campaign included 36 videos, 16 audio vignettes, flyers, posters, community murals and “jingles.” Among attendees receiving an abnormal chest X-ray suggestive of TB, 48% (6,935/14,563) reported hearing about TB Móvil before attending.CONCLUSIONS:POL promotes the uptake of TB Móvil and should be considered as a strategy for increasing TB screening uptake.