Author: Shahab E. Saqib
AIT Library Call Number: AIT Diss. no.RD-19-04
Year: 2019
Academic Program: Regional and Rural Development Planning (RRDP)
Type: Thesis (Ph. D.) – Asian Institute of Technology, 2019
Examination Committee: Mokbul Morshed Ahmad (Chairperson); Jayant Kumar Routray, Joyee S. Chatterjee (Examination Committee Members)
Abstract: Pakistan is one among countries where tuberculosis (TB) is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality. Due to the heavy presence of TB in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the study undertook the task to study the disease in social context. The dissertation has applied the social epidemiological approach to assess and explore the factors associated with family history of TB, social support/needs of the TB patients, delay in treatment, economic burden/needs at the household level, health status and satisfaction level of patients over the available health services. Both primary and secondary data was used in this dissertation. A total of 269 patients were interviewed at the health centres through standardised questionnaires. In-depth interviews, key informant interviews and one focus group discussion were conducted. Descriptive and analytical statistics were employed to analyse the data. The results revealed that patients were mostly young. They were in their productive years of age. Most of the patients were illiterate or had primary level education only. Patients were of low economic status. Significant risk factors associated with TB family history in patients were age, education, structure of house, household size, rooms in houses, room ventilation, monthly income, income sufficiency, food sufficiency, smoking, diabetes and heart disease. The tuberculosis patients experienced an overall lower level of social support from their families, friends and communities and they needed more social support. Low level of the social support led to stigma which further combined with low income, causing high treatment delay. Likewise, lack of awareness about the TB centre and treatment from local traditional healers were important reasons for the treatment delay. Treatment delay due to the lack of social support, low income and poverty. The results showed that TB still costs people a lot, pushing them into poverty. The intensity of catastrophic health expenditures was higher for households in the lower income
Scholarship Donor(s): Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan, AIT Fellowship
Note: A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Regional and Rural Development Planning, School of Environment, Resources and Development
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