Prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis among the tribal populations in India.

Importance: There is no concrete evidence on the burden of TB among the tribal populations across India except for few studies mainly conducted in Central India with a pooled estimation of 703/100,000 with a high degree of heterogeneity.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of TB among the tribal populations in India.

Design, Participants, Setting: A survey using a multistage cluster sampling design was conducted between April 2015 and March 2020 covering 88 villages (clusters) from districts with over 70% tribal majority populations in 17 States across 6 zones of India.

Understanding health care-seeking behaviour of the tribal population in India among those with presumptive TB symptoms.

Background And Objectives: Understanding the drivers for care-seeking among those who present with symptoms of TB is crucial for early diagnosis of TB and prompt treatment, which will in turn halt further TB transmission. While TB is a challenge among the tribal population, little is known about the care-seeking behaviour and the factors influencing care-seeking behaviour among the tribal population across India.

Methodology: This community-based descriptive study was carried out in 17 states of India across 6 zones, covering 88 villages from tribal districts with over 70% tribal population.