{
  "abstract": "Background The development of non-sputum-based tests is an urgent priority to increase access to tuberculosis (TB) diagnostic testing. Understanding preferences of people undergoing testing is critical for designing tests and strategies aligned with their needs.Methods We conducted a survey and best-worst scaling (BWS) exercise to determine relative preferences for tongue swab-based versus sputum-based testing among people (≥13 years) with presumptive TB at primary health centres in Vietnam and Zambia. The BWS assessed 16 TB test features, including accuracy, sample type, turnaround time, cost and service aspects. We estimated mean rescaled preference weights, our primary outcome, using Hierarchical Bayes modelling and identified distinct preference groups using latent class multinomial logit analyses (LCA).Results Among 409 participants enrolled, 356 (87%) met quality criteria for analysis. The median age of participants was 39 years (IQR 29–47), and most were female (60.7%). When asked directly, most participants preferred providing tongue swabs over sputum (58.1% vs 28.7%, p<0.001; 12.4% no preference). In the BWS exercise, tongue swab was also preferred over sputum (mean rescaled preference weights (MPWs) 6.4, 95% CI 5.9 to 6.8 vs 5.0 95% CI 4.6 to 5.4). However, support and counselling (MPW=14.0), sensitivity (MPW=12.3), specificity (MPW=10.2) and provider attitude (MPW=7.4) were the most important features overall. Less important features included facility opening hours (MPW=3.4) and the influence of trusted sources on testing decisions (MPW=2.2). LCA identified five distinct preference groups, but support and counselling were universally valued. Participants in Groups 2 (27.3%; n=97) and 3 (17.1%; n=61) valued tongue swabs over many other features. Group 5 participants (11%; n=39) strongly valued sputum-based testing.Conclusions Participants in Vietnam and Zambia preferred tongue swab-based TB testing over sputum. However, sample type was less important than test accuracy and other TB care features affecting the testing experience.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Infectious Disease and Tropical Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany",
        "German Center for Infection Research, Partner Site Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany"
      ],
      "name": "Maria del Mar Castro"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Center for Promotion of Advancement of Society, Hanoi, Viet Nam"
      ],
      "name": "Hien Le"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Center for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia"
      ],
      "name": "Seke Muzazu"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Center for Promotion of Advancement of Society, Hanoi, Viet Nam",
        "Hanoi Lung Hospital, Hanoi, Viet Nam"
      ],
      "name": "Nam Pham"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Center for Promotion of Advancement of Society, Hanoi, Viet Nam"
      ],
      "name": "Trang Trinh"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Center for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia"
      ],
      "name": "Herbert Chabwera Nyirenda"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Center for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia"
      ],
      "name": "Patricia Shabalu"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA"
      ],
      "name": "Nora West"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Center for Promotion of Advancement of Society, Hanoi, Viet Nam"
      ],
      "name": "Ha Phan"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA"
      ],
      "name": "Adithya Cattamanchi"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Infectious Disease and Tropical Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany",
        "German Center for Infection Research, Partner Site Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany"
      ],
      "name": "Claudia M Denkinger"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Center for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia"
      ],
      "name": "Monde Muyoyeta"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center. University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA"
      ],
      "name": "Andrew D Kerkhoff"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Preferences for tongue swab-based versus sputum-based testing in the context of TB care: a best-worst scaling exercise in Vietnam and Zambia",
  "uid": "616196c7-d3c7-5e20-9886-a6e0eb69362b"
}