Introduction
Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease that has the potential of having serious impacts and primarily affects the lungs. According to research, approximately a quarter of the population of the world is infected by TB (Harding, 2020). In other words, there are those individuals with TB bacteria; however, they are not sick and cannot transmit the disease. Additionally, studies state that it is a multisystem illness with innumerable manifestations and presentations, and is responsible for causing infectious sicknesses-related mortality across the globe (Goosby et al., 2018). However, it should be noted that the disease is preventable and curable and individuals should seek immediate medical attention when they feel they are infected.
TB’s Transmission and Pathophysiology
Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the bacteria that causes tuberculosis (TB) and, in most cases, it impacts the lungs. Tuberculosis is spread from one person to another via the air (Conradie et al., 2020). If a person with TB spits, coughs, or sneezes, he or she propels the TB microbes into the air. To become infected, an individual only needs to breathe in a few of these microbes. In terms of its pathophysiology, after an individual inhales the mycobacterium from the air, sizeable droplets stick in the throat and nose; however, at this position, there are lower chances of developing an infection (Churchyard et al., 2017). Nevertheless, smaller mycobacterium can reach the lung’s air sacs, and it is this place where infection can begin.
TB’s Clinical Manifestations
In the initial stages of infections, the disease is referred to as primary tuberculosis. Physicians use a tuberculin skin test to indicate the infection, which provides a delayed hypersensitivity response to mycobacterium protein products (Harding, 2020). Conversion of tuberculin skin test generally occurs three to six weeks after infection or exposure. In numerous cases, the primary or initial infection stays undetected because symptoms are self-resolving, non-specific, and mild. There is the formation of a primary complex that contains granuloma. This formation occurs in the primary focus and combines with pleural reactions and paratracheal lymphadenopathy (Conradie et al., 2020). During this stage, the chances of progression of the illness are lower; however, it can be serious among individuals with low immunity or children.
Primary Identified Medical Concerns for the Patient
Several significant issues are currently being raised by the patient concerning the treatment of TB. In this case, the treatment complexity and duration result in the patient not adhering to the care (Harding, 2020). Since the patient does not stick to the treatment plan, the result is that they develop resistance, thereby allowing the condition to manifest. In addition, the patient has noted that there is the development of a more resistant type of TB. According to research, some drugs are suppressive and thus cause the condition to increase. As a result, the patient feels overwhelmed by the increasing medication to manage the more resistant type of TB. To ensure that this does not occur, it is important to correctly diagnose the condition to provide the best care for the patient.
Primary Psychosocial Concerns
Psychosocial issues are the challenges that patients face in various management stages of TB. One of the primary psychosocial concerns of patients is the lengthy period of treatment for TB. The management of the disease requires both the care provider and the patient to be committed to the treatment plan. However, this is not often the case, because most patients feel that the process is too long. The other concern is the societal response to the condition. Most people in the community do not wish to mingle with people with TB since they fear being infected. As a result, the patient becomes anxious and depressed due to stigmatization. Furthermore, this causes the patient to develop a negative attitude towards their conditions, which may affect how they manage the issue.
Rates of Compliance in Treatment of TB
There are negative implications of the treatment regimen, as far as the likelihood of compliance and outcomes. Research shows that even after 30 years of encouraging patients to stick to treatment plans, less than 90% of patients have been reached and only 60% have successfully treated the illness (Sterling et al., 2020, p. 7). Thus, the main obstacle to managing the sickness is the high rates of interruptions and non-compliance from patients. Furthermore, studies show that there exists a high rate of interpersonal conflict between physicians and patients and this further adds to the non-compliance (Goosby et al., 2018). Therefore, compliance in the treatment of drug-resistant TB can be attributed to interruption and patient non-compliance.
Role of the Community Clinic in Assisting Patients
Community clinics are an important asset to a community, especially for those individuals who are undocumented. Research states that community-based organizations can be especially influential in offering education and information concerning TB (Churchyard et al., 2017). Since these clinics are usually within the community, the data they provide is highly regarded by individuals. Undocumented individuals can always depend on these institutions to provide adequate information concerning how to manage TB. The reason, in this case, is that these institutions work with state and local governments to provide health care to those who cannot access them within the community. Therefore, having community clinics within the community is particularly advantageous to undocumented individuals.
There are numerous resources that the United States government provides to these individuals when it comes to treating TB. One of these resources includes surveillance centers that train individuals on data collection concerning TB. These are essential because they help the government acquire more information about the different variants of TB. There exist state TB control offices that help community clinics report and access new information about the illness. On the other hand, there is a difference between the subsidized and the subsided individuals within the community. According to research, subsidized individuals or medical facilities receive or provide quality and cheaper healthcare services to society (Sterling et al., 2020). Thus, subsidies are essential, especially when it comes to combating TB.
Implications of TB for Critical Care and Advanced Practice Nurses
Effectively utilizing physicians in advanced procedures to heighten the access of patients to critical and emergency care is essential. In a study about the impact of nurses’ involvement in advanced practices and critical care, the authors found that it improved patient satisfaction, consultation time, length of stay, and cost-saving (Churchyard et al., 2017). Therefore, it is important to utilize advanced practice nurses while providing care for individuals with TB. This practice is particularly important when it comes to improving patient outcomes. In addition, it ensures that the nurses can use their various expertise in collecting and storing data for future use in the improvement of service provision.
TB is a disease known for its potential to cause serious effects on an individual; however, it is preventable and curable. The disease is caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis, which often moves from one person to the next through the air. The disease enters the lungs where its smaller particles of the bacteria enter the air sacs. The disease may begin to affect an individual from this point, especially those whose immune systems are not well developed. Since the disease can be transmitted through the air, numerous individuals may be concerned when they know a particular person has the illness. This may cause the person to develop depression and anxiety issues.
References
Churchyard, G., Kim, P., Shah, N. S., Rustomjee, R., Gandhi, N., Mathema, B., Dowdy, D., Kasmar, A., & Cardenas, V. (2017). What we know about tuberculosis transmission: An overview. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 216(suppl_6), S629-S635. Web.
Conradie, F., Diacon, A. H., Ngubane, N., Howell, P., Everitt, D., Crook, A. M., Mendel, C. M., Egizi, E., Moreira, J., Timm, J., McHugh, T. D., Wills, G. H., Bateson, A., Hunt, R., Van Niekerk, C., Li, M., Olugbosi, M., & Spigelman, M. (2020). Treatment of highly drug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis. New England Journal of Medicine, 382(10), 893-902. Web.
Goosby, E., Jamison, D., Swaminathan, S., Reid, M., & Zuccala, E. (2018). The Lancet Commission on tuberculosis: Building a tuberculosis-free world. The Lancet, 391(10126), 1132-1133. Web.
Harding, E. (2020). WHO global progress report on tuberculosis elimination. The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, 8(1), 6-19. Web.
Sterling, T. R., Njie, G., Zenner, D., Cohn, D. L., Reves, R., Ahmed, A., Menzies, D., Horsburgh, C. R., Crane, C. M., Burgos, M., LoBue, P., Winston, C. A., & Belknap, R. (2020). Guidelines for the treatment of latent tuberculosis infection: Recommendations from the national tuberculosis controllers association and CDC, 2020. MMWR. Recommendations and Reports, 69(1), 1-11. Web.