ABSTRACT
Background: There is a need to re-assess the role of generally identifiable risk factors for development of tuberculosis (e.g. old age, poverty and poor socio-economic status). The present study was designed to look into the socio-economic and demographic characteristics of patients of tuberculosis (TB) vis-à-vis those with other respiratory diseases in the area in and around Chandigarh. Setting: Chest Clinic of a tertiary care hospital. Design: Case-control study Material and Methods: Two hundred and fifty consecutive cases of TB and an equal number of patients with pulmonary diseases other than tuberculosis as controls were interviewed as per a pre-designed, structured questionnaire that inquired into several socio-economic and demographic variables besides the clinical details. Univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were carried out to obtain odds ratios separately for each variable. Results: The mean age of patients suffering from tuberculosis was 35.56 years (SD 13.69). There were 168 men (67.2%) and 82 (32.8%) women among the cases. Persons suffering from tuberculosis were more frequently found to have the worst of the socio-economic conditions for all the variables. Odds ratio (OR) increased by 3.14 (95% CI 2.48-3.98, p<0.001) for every decrease of Rs.500/- in the income level per person per month below Rs.2000/-. Similarly, the OR increased by 3.66 (CI 2.9-4.61,p<0.001) with increasing number of persons per room. The ORs for poorer housing, toilet facilities, water supply and consumer articles were also significant. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the age, level of education, crowding, type of housing, water supply and number of consumer articles in the household was found to be independently and significantly associated with a higher risk of TB. Conclusion: There is a significant SES-health gradient in TB prevalence; tuberculosis risk increases with lowering of socio-economic status.