Disparities in access to diagnosis and care in Blantyre, Malawi, identified through enhanced tuberculosis surveillance and spatial analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

A sizeable fraction of tuberculosis (TB) cases go undiagnosed. By analysing data from enhanced demographic, microbiological and geospatial surveillance of TB registrations, we aimed to identify modifiable predictors of inequitable access to diagnosis and care.

Methods

Governmental community health workers (CHW) enumerated all households in 315 catchment areas during October-December 2015. From January 2015, government TB Officers routinely implemented enhanced TB surveillance at all public and private TB treatment registration centres within Blantyre (18 clinics in total). This included collection from registering TB patients of demographic and clinical characteristics, a single sputum sample for TB microscopy and culture, and geolocation of place of residence usi

SUBMITTER: MacPherson P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6350280 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature