Community-based Study, Demographic and Socio-Economic Factors Associated with TB in Rural Jaipur NIMS Hospital

Abstract

This study showed that fewer women sought care in out-patient clinics for respiratory symptoms, fewer submitted sputum for testing, and if tested, fewer were smear-positive. This implies persistent lower representation of females at the different clinical steps for TB management using DOTS at community level. These findings raise grave concerns about the gender sensitive DOTS strategy for TB control. The findings indicate that an epidemiology of TB complicated by gender roles determines sex differentials trials in case detection,4 health behavior and access to health care. Although wide female-male differences in TB diagnosis and management persist, the paucity of background information on the study patients prevented an analysis to identify the determinants of female representation at the various clinical steps for TB management. Further studies are required to explore factors affecting gender-sensitive TB control using the DOTS strategy.

Keywords: TB, Community, DOTS, demographic