Effect of WhatsApp-based periodical interactive SLMs teaching and communication on TB diagnosis completion among TB contacts of TB cases in Faridabad, Haryana

Characteristics	n	Percentage (%)
Age (mean ± SD [min.-max.]), 27.5 ± 16.9 (0.6- – 68)
Age groups, years old
>6	80	93
≤6	6	7
Gender
Male	41	48
Female	45	52
Educational level
Illiterate	14	16
Primary (1-5)	16	19
Middle (6-8)	21	24
Secondary (9-12)	30	35
Graduation or above	5	6
Previous h/o TB in family
No	49	57
Yes	37	43
Exposed to MC/CD TB case
CD	29	34
MC	57	66
Residential area
Rural	31	36
Urban	55	64

1 Note: MC/CD, microbiologically confirmed/clinically diagnosed; TB, tuberculosis.

Table 2.

Descriptive comparison of pre- post-intervention TB diagnosis completion of TB contacts during intervals: 6-7, 27–28, and 55–56 d [n (%)].

Items	6–7 d	27–28 d	55–56 d
TB symptoms present
No	86 (100)	86 (100)	86 (100)
Yes	-	-	-
Approached for TB evaluation & testing
No	25 (29)	9 (11)	11 (15)
Yes	61 (71)	73 (89)	62 (85)
Evaluated or tested for TB diagnosis
No	82 (95)	73 (89)	40 (55)
Yes	4 (5)	9 (11)	33 (45)
Diagnosis done through
Not diagnosed	82 (95)	73 (89)	40 (55)
TST	-	9 (11)	33 (45)
IGRA	-	-	-
Another way	4 (5)	-	-
Result of TST/IGRA
Not tested	86 (100)	73 (89)	40 (55)
Negative	-	8 (10)	20 (27)
Positive	-	1 (1)	13 (18)
Waited for result	-	-	-
Chest X-ray done
No	86 (100)	81 (99)	60 (82)
Yes	-	1 (1)	13 (18)
Result of Chest X-ray
Not tested	86 (100)	81 (99)	60 (82)
Normal	-	1 (1)	13 (18)
Abnormal	-	-	-
Waited for result	-	-	-
Tested for ATT-TB
No	86 (100)	86 (100)	86 (100)
Yes	-	-	-
Result of ATT-TB
Not tested	86 (100)	86 (100)	86(100)
MTB not detected	-	-	-
MTB detected	-	-	-
Waited for result	-	-	-
TB diagnosis outcome
Not – diagnosed	82 (95)	73 (89)	40 (55)
NE-TPT/ATT	-	8 (10)	20 (27)
Advised TPT	4 (5)	1 (1)	13 (18)
Waited for result	-	-	-
Advised ATT	-	-	-
Overall -TB diagnosis completion
No	82 (95)	73 (89)	40 (55)
Yes	4 (5)	9 (11)	33 (45)

1 Note: IGRA, Interferon Gamma Release Assay; MTB, Mycobacterium Tuberculosis; NE-TPT/ATT not eligible for TB preventive treatment/antitubercle treatment; TB, tuberculosis; TST tuberculin skin test

Table 3.

Mean, mean difference, standard error of mean difference, and t value of TB diagnosis completion among TB contacts during different time intervals.

Variable and Pre/post-test days	Mean	SD	Mean diff.	Sth. Err. Mean diff	t	P
TB diagnosis completion			0.06	0.04	1.39	0.166*** (NS)
6–7 (pre first)	0.05	0.21
27-28 (post first)	0.11	0.31
TB diagnosis completion			0.27	0.07	4.02	<0.001*
27-28 (pre second)	0.11	0.31
55-56 (post second)	0.38	0.49

1 Note: TB, tuberculosis; df (84);

1* significantly differed at P < 0.01 level of significance.

Table 4.

A repeated measures ANOVA test result of pre-post interventions (6–7, 27–28, 55–56 d) TB diagnosis completion.

Items	SS	df	MS	F	P
Between-treatments	5.59	2	2.79	18.94	<0.00001*
Within-treatments	32.21	255	0.13
Error	25.08	170	0.15

1 Note: ANOVA, analysis of variance; TB, tuberculosis; df (2170);

1* significantly differed at P < 0.01 level of significance.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/FON-2026-0026 | Journal eISSN: 2544-8994 | Journal ISSN: 2097-5368

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Language: English

Page range: 225 - 231

Submitted on: Aug 23, 2025

Accepted on: Sep 16, 2025

Published on: Jul 3, 2026

Published by: Shanxi Medical Periodical Press

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Keywords:

m-health,

SLMs,

TB contacts,

TB diagnosis completion,

Related subjects:

Medicine,

Assistive professions, nursing

© 2026 Barkha Rani, Anjana Chandran, Vivek Jaglan, Sanjay Kumar Mattoo, published by Shanxi Medical Periodical Press
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Volume 13 (2026): Issue 2 (June 2026)