TABLE 1.

Details of digital support interventions for treatment of active tuberculosis (TB) and latent TB infection (LTBI)

Digital technologies	Operational details	Estimate of effect
		Active TB#	LTBI
MM: Wisepill	Small device attached to standard pill dispenser When opened, device communicates with web-based application by SMS Device sends SMS to patient and HCW when daily dose is missed One-way texting: no response is required of patient [26–28]	Assumed effect was equivalent to DOT/standard of care	Assumed effect was equivalent to that of MM in trials of active TB¶
MM: 99DOTS	Taking pills from blister pack daily reveals random toll-free numbers Any call from a registered patient number is marked as a dose taken When patients call, they hear “thank you” Automatic alerts to patients and HCW of missed doses pen-source information technology system [29, 30]	Assumed effect was equivalent to DOT/standard of care	Assumed effect was equivalent to that of MM in trials of active TB¶
VOT	Smartphone loaned to patients without one Pre-arranged schedule for real-time (synchronous) daily VOT calls with HCW Patient shows and names pills, then swallows them Patient asked about adverse reactions Missed appointments followed up first by phone calls, then by home visits [31]	Assumed effect was equivalent to DOT/standard of care	Assumed effect was equivalent to that of MM in trials of active TB¶
Two-way SMS	Weekly SMS “check-ins” sent from central computer at clinic Patients asked to respond within 24 h First instance of non-response: follow-up SMS Second instance of non-response: phone call [32]	Not estimated	Assumed effect was equivalent to that of two-way SMS in trials of HIV+

MM: medication monitor; VOT: video-observed therapy; SMS: short message service; HCW: healthcare worker; DOT: directly observed treatment. ^#: routine in-person DOT visits were replaced by digital technologies for active TB treatment supervision; ^¶: patients using digital interventions were 1.18 (95% CI 1.08–1.26) times more likely to complete treatment than those on self-administered treatment (derived from [33]); ⁺: patients using digital intervention were 1.24 (95% CI 1.06–1.45) times more likely to complete treatment than those on self-administered treatment [34].