BURDEN OF TUBERCULOSIS IN INDIA: INFORMATION FROM NFHS-5

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease and is caused by germ (bacterium) called Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. Transmission of tuberculosis is mainly through air by inhalation of infected droplet nuclei, which are discharged in the air when a patient with untreated sputum positive tuberculosis (TB) coughs or sneezes. Other modifier of the risk of disease are age, with greater risk during infancy and adolescence, and gender, with young women more likely to develop disease soon after infection. This article reports a self-reported levels and socioeconomic patterns in the distribution of tuberculosis (TB) cases in India, based on information collected under the National Family Health Survey-Round 5 (NFHS-5, 2019–21).  The prevalence of TB in various characteristics of households along with Rural-Urban break-up is studied and it is seen that the prevalence of TB is 1% at India level. The prevalence of TB is higher in Rural areas as compare to Urban areas. The percentage distribution of sample households by with TB patients are also influenced by other socio-economic characteristics.