Enriching tuberculosis research by measuring poverty better: a perspective

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Health Economics

Background:

• Poverty and socio-economic deprivation are established risk factors for tuberculosis (TB) transmission, progression, and treatment adherence.
• Existing socio-economic status (SES) assessment tools lack universal acceptance and may not fully capture the multidimensional poverty affecting TB-affected households.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of current SES assessment tools used in TB research.
• To evaluate the strengths and limitations of various poverty measurement methods in the context of TB.
• To advocate for the development and adoption of standardized, multidimensional SES measures for TB studies.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing SES assessment tools, including income-based measures, wealth indices (DHS, IWI), and multidimensional indices (MPI).
• Analysis of the applicability and limitations of each method concerning the complex deprivations relevant to TB.

Main Results:

• No single, universally accepted SES tool adequately measures multidimensional poverty's impact on TB-affected households.
• Existing tools have varying strengths and limitations when applied to the specific context of TB epidemiology and patient outcomes.

Conclusions:

• There is a critical need for multidimensional, standardized, and contextually relevant SES measures in TB research.
• Improved poverty metrics will enhance TB epidemiology, programmatic evaluations, and translational research.
• Advancing poverty measurement is crucial for addressing socio-economic drivers of TB and implementing effective pro-poor interventions for equitable health outcomes.