Tuberculosis and gender studies

• Forschungsstelle: TPH
• Projektnummer: 5.01
• Projekttitel Englisch: Tuberculosis and gender studies

Schlüsselwörter (Englisch)

Tuberculosis, gender, cultural epidemiology, medical anthropology, women's health, TB control, stigma

Kurzbeschreibung (Englisch)

Support to four sites in a WHO multicountry study of gender and tuberculosis. Multi-method research considers key questions concerning gender disparities in the occurrence, identifica-tion, and treatment of tuberculosis, and show how a focus on gender may contribute to more effective interventions.

Projektziele (Englisch)

Aims of the studies include the following:

1. Situational analysis at programme sites to determine differences in the identification, diagnosis, treatment, and illness outcomes of patients in the coverage areas

2. Compare TB-related experience, meaning, and behaviour at the study sites to identify culture and gender specific features of TB of practical significance for interventions

3. Identify cultural epdemiological determinants of stigma, and delays in help seeking and treatment.

Abstract (Englisch)

Questions about lower rates of TB for women and implications for TB control motivated a multicountry study at four sites. Qualitative and basic epidemiological methods were complemented by cultural epidemiology, examining illness-related experience, meaning, and behaviour of patients in the TB clinics. Complementing descriptive and comparative findings, determinants of significant delays in help seeking diagnosis, and treatment are also being studied with multivariate statistical methods and analysis of narratives.

Publikationen / Ergebnisse (Englisch)

1. Weiss MG, Auer C, Somma DB, Abouihia A, Kemp J, Jawahar MS, Karim F, Arias NL (2006) Gender and tuberculosis: cross-site analysis and implications of a multi-country study in Bangladesh, India, Malawi, and Colombia. WHO/TDR Social, Economic and Behavioural Research Report Series, No. 3. Geneva: World Health Organization.
2. Uplekar M, Rangan S, Weiss MG, Ogden J, Borgdorff MW, Hudelson P. Attention to gender research in tuberculosis control. Int J Tub Lung Dis 2001; 5(3):220-224.
3. Atre SR, Kudale AM, Morankar SN, Rangan SG, Weiss MG (2004) Cultural concepts of tuberculosis and gender among the general population without TB in rural Maharashtra, India. Trop Med Int Health 9(11):1228-1238.