Abstract
Understanding the role of poverty in the continued epidemic of TB in developing countries will provide useful information for the improvement of TB control activities in these areas. A survey of the living conditions of 274 TB patients registered for DOTS at the National Tuberculosis Control Program Centre of the Lawrence Henshaw Memorial hospital Calabar and the Endemic Disease Clinic of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar was conducted to verify the view that poverty influences the incidence and outcome of TB. Using a structured pre-tested self- or interview- administered questionnaire, data were collected from a sample of 274 subjects: males (162/59%) and females (112/41%) within the economically viable age of 15-55 years. Results showed that the number of TB patients in the study decreased with increasing number of children of .3 in the households of subjects. The average income of the 244 (89%) income earners was N6,045.00 ($46.50) a month. Of this number, 170 (70%) earned less than N5,000 ($37.00) monthly. Thirty (11%) had no reliable means of income. Unemployed persons and students constituted the highest percentage of the subjects (18% and 17% respectively). A low socio-economic status and poor housing conditions typified by overcrowding and poor ventilation characterized the TB patients in this study. TB control programs anchored by government and non-governmental agencies need to address poverty reduction as part of their intervention strategies.
Highlights
Evidence abound that poverty influences the incidence and outcome of tuberculosis. the current HumanImmunodeficiency Virus/Acquired ImmuneDeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) pandemic in the developing countries is substantially blamed for the continued rise in TB case notification, the role of poverty and its attendant consequences cannot be ignored
This study which investigated the socio-economic status and living conditions of tuberculosis patients receiving treatment at a National TB Control Program (NTBLCP) treatment centre was an attempt to fill the gap in the dearth of indigenous data linking TB to poverty in Nigeria
With the current HIV epidemic, which disproportionately affects women, it is feared that the proportion of female TB cases will increase in the worst HIV/AIDS affected areas (UNAIDS, 2001)
Summary
Evidence abound that poverty influences the incidence and outcome of tuberculosis. Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) pandemic in the developing countries is substantially blamed for the continued rise in TB case notification, the role of poverty and its attendant consequences cannot be ignored. Lydia N Abia-Bassey, Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Calabar, Nigeria. Benjamin P Thumamo, Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Calabar, Nigeria. Of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Calabar, Nigeria. Of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria. Angela Oyo-Ita, Department of Community Medicine, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria. This study which investigated the socio-economic status and living conditions of tuberculosis patients receiving treatment at a National TB Control Program (NTBLCP) treatment centre was an attempt to fill the gap in the dearth of indigenous data linking TB to poverty in Nigeria
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