Lingual Distribution of Tuberculosis Patients in Karachi - A Demographic Analysis

Abstract

The main objective of this paper is to investigate tuberculosis patients’ demographic distribution including their sociocultural impacts among various ethnic groups in the study area. Data was collected through questionnaire survey (interviewing patients) at TB diagnostic centers in the study area over a period of eight months (March to October 2013). Analysis was made with the help of Microsoft excel and SPSS version 20 for demographic analysis.The questionnaire survey revealed the respondents in terms of languages as Urdu (33.28), Sindhi (20.63), Punjabi (14.98), Pashtu (11.48), Seraiki (10.48%) and other languages 14.81. Researchers have identified other languages (which included, Hindko, Balti, Persian, Brahvi, Marwari, Gilgiti, Gujrati) as being the most vulnerable/impoverished lingual groups in the study area. Demographically, Urdu speaking TB patients were recorded as 53% females, but the case of Sindhi speaking female patients was slightly high (50.81%) compared to males. Punjabi speaking patients were found to number almost similar to the Urdu speaking patients as the percentage of females was 52.22%. Pashtu speaking females amounted to 44.9 %, while males recorded highest percentage i.e. 55.07%.The occurrence of TB in the purview of lingual distribution of population in Karachi provides an insight into the transmission of the disease especially in the context of the global as well as local environment, cultural and politico-economic scenario.