title: Engaging adolescents in tuberculosis and clinical trial research through drama.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative is based in Worcester where tuberculosis (TB) is endemic, and incidence rates are amongst the highest nationally. In high TB burden settings after an early childhood peak, incidence rates start to rise again in adolescents, therefore they are an important target group for tuberculosis vaccine research. In 2012, learners from a local school developed a one-off theatrical production out of an educational comic book Carina's Choice, developed by the South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative in 2010. A Wellcome Trust International Engagement grant allowed for this one-off production to be further developed, with input from university students and staff, and rolled out to schools in the Worcester area as an engagement and education intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  Focus group feedback was used to identify key messages and to develop the play's script. Qualitative methods were used to collect and analyse relevant data. Interviews were conducted with learner-actors, pre- and post-focus group feedback was obtained from a sample of school-going adolescents, and pre- and post-questionnaires were administered to adolescent audience members.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From the pre-drama focus group discussions, topics such as TB symptoms, stigma and transmission were identified as areas that needed attention. After the performances, adolescents showed improved knowledge on the identified topics and they discussed TB prevention measures. They highlighted transmission of TB during pregnancy as a further topic to be addressed in future iterations of the drama. Although stigma is a difficult phenomenon to interpret, post-drama participants understood that TB transmission could occur in all individuals. Learner-actors agreed with focus group participants that the play could impact the wider community if it were rolled out. Feedback from the South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative staff verified that recruitment for an upcoming trial was facilitated by the preparedness that the play provided in recruitment areas. The study showed that before and after evaluations provide data on the usefulness of the play as an education tool.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Theatre, presented and motivated by adolescent peers, can raise awareness of TB, and assist clinical trial preparedness and further engagement between trial staff and their trial community.
authors.affiliation: South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Bey-Marrié
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.affiliation: South African Cochrane Centre, South African Medical Research Council, P. O. Box 19070, Tygerberg, 7505, South Africa.|School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK.
authors.forename: Amber
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abrams
authors.affiliation: South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa. michele.tameris@uct.ac.za.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tameris
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D001364:Awareness; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D004324:Drama; D030141:Feedback, Psychological; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D018579:Patient Selection; D010465:Perception; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012307:Risk Factors; D012752:Shame; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D013240:Stereotyping; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D032581:Tuberculosis Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D032581:Tuberculosis Vaccines
keywords: Clinical research; Drama; Intervention; Qualitative evaluation; Tuberculosis