Attention to gender issues in tuberculosis control

Although a seventy per cent excess of male over female TB cases are reported globally each year, the reasons for this difference are unclear. Generally, women in poor countries confront more barriers than men in accessing health care services. Yet, research is lacking to explain the impact of gender inequalities in access to care on reported sex ratios for TB. A review of the limited available literature and field visits to TB programmes offered insights and suggested a framework to study gender differentials in TB. This paper considers the role of gender at various steps in effective TB care. A research strategy to study and account for gender differences in TB control is proposed.