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. 2010 Jul-Aug;125 Suppl 4(Suppl 4):34-42.
doi: 10.1177/00333549101250S407.

Tuberculosis and stigmatization: pathways and interventions

Andrew Courtwright  1 , Abigail Norris Turner
Affiliations

Tuberculosis and stigmatization: pathways and interventions

Andrew Courtwright et al. Public Health Rep. 2010 Jul-Aug.

Abstract

The institutional and community norms that lead to the stigmatization of tuberculosis (TB) are thought to hinder TB control. We performed a systematic review of the literature on TB stigma to identify the causes and evaluate the impact of stigma on TB diagnosis and treatment. Several themes emerged: fear of infection is the most common cause of TB stigma; TB stigma has serious socioeconomic consequences, particularly for women; qualitative approaches to measuring TB stigma are more commonly utilized than quantitative surveys; TB stigma is perceived to increase TB diagnostic delay and treatment noncompliance, although attempts to quantify its impact have produced mixed results; and interventions exist that may reduce TB stigma. Future research should continue to characterize TB stigma in different populations; use validated survey instruments to quantify the impact of TB stigma on TB diagnostic delay, treatment compliance, and morbidity and mortality; and develop additional TB stigma-reduction strategies.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Flow diagram of literature search on TB and stigmatization (n=168)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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