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Sillah AK, Devoid I, Ndenkeh JJ, Moonga G, Loum I, Touray A, Owolabi O, Sutherland J, Rachow A, Ivanova O, Evans D, Kampmann B. Socio-economic burden of TB and its impact on child contacts in The Gambia. Public Health Action 2023; 13:130-135. [PMID: 38077726 PMCID: PMC10703137 DOI: 10.5588/pha.23.0025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the social impact of adult TB on child household contacts living in the Greater Banjul Area, The Gambia. METHODS This was a prospective observational cohort study among adults (≥18 years) starting treatment for drug-susceptible pulmonary TB between June 2019 and July 2021 who reported having at least one child household contact. We collected data from 51 adults and 180 child contacts at the start of TB treatment (baseline) and again at 6 months of treatment. Participants were asked about expenses for school fees, healthcare, festivities and food security of child contacts. RESULTS While school attendance of the child contacts remained largely unaffected, there was a significant drop in school performance at 6 months (P < 0.001). Furthermore, child contacts faced significant food insecurity in terms of food quantity and variety available, with up to a four-fold increase in some instances at 6 months compared to baseline (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION Child contacts face a potential decline in school performance and risk of food insecurity. While a plethora of work is being undertaken to alleviate costs of care for TB patients, further emphasis is needed to ensure educational and social prosperity for child contacts, as adults with TB have socio-economic implications for the wider household.
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Affiliation(s)
- A K Sillah
- Vaccines & Immunity Theme, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia
- Center for International Health, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - I Devoid
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - J J Ndenkeh
- Center for International Health, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - G Moonga
- Center for International Health, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - I Loum
- Vaccines & Immunity Theme, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - A Touray
- Vaccines & Immunity Theme, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - O Owolabi
- Vaccines & Immunity Theme, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - J Sutherland
- Vaccines & Immunity Theme, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - A Rachow
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical Centre of the University of Munich (LMU), Munich, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - O Ivanova
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical Centre of the University of Munich (LMU), Munich, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - D Evans
- Health Economics and Epidemiology Research Office, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - B Kampmann
- Vaccines & Immunity Theme, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia
- Charité Centre for Global Health, Charité Universitatsmedizin-Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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