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Harvey Mudd College

Publication Date

Spring 2016

Program Name

India: Public Health, Policy Advocacy, and Community

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the world’s largest public health challenges, and it has a disproportionate impact on India. In children, TB is a serious but understudied illness due to the complexity of case-notification and relative lack of public health importance. This study took place over the course of one month in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. In a mixed method study consisting of 53 quantitative patient interviews and qualitative interviews with healthcare providers, social determinants of TB in this setting were investigated as well as challenges faced at all stages of healthcare delivery. Malnutrition and housing were the most severe determinants of paediatric TB, though socioeconomic status, age, and household contacts also played a role. Diagnosis continues to be a challenge for healthcare providers. Overall, DOTS and the RNTCP is an effective public health program to address paediatric TB, but to reduce incidence interventions on determinants need to be prioritized.

Disciplines

Bacterial Infections and Mycoses | Community Health and Preventive Medicine | Health Policy | Inequality and Stratification | Nutrition

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