Can 7-1-7 help household contacts of tuberculosis patients get started on preventive therapy? In the International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, our colleagues at International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease used a mixed-methods approach to assess the feasibility of the timeliness metric in the private sector in Chennai, India. Among 263 index patients, 90% had their household contacts (HHCs) line-listed within 7 days. Screening outcomes for 48% of the 556 were achieved in HHCs within 1 day, and 57% began TPT or received a treatment decision within 7 days. 24% of screened HHCs started TPT during the ‘7-1-7’ period, compared to 16% in historical controls. Barriers included HHC reluctance to be evaluated, private providers’ refusal to prescribe TPT, and reliance on facility-based screening instead of home visits. Overall, the introduction of 7-1-7 can effectively enhance HHC screening and management.
