Reducing Tuberculosis Among Indigenous Communities Essay

Introduction

Infectious diseases pose a major threat to global public health. Bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites in the human body cause infectious diseases. The flu, HIV/AIDS, and malaria are all examples of infectious diseases. The tuberculosis-causing mycobacterium is responsible for another major infectious disease, tuberculosis (TB). Though the lungs are the primary target of TB, symptoms occur in other body parts. Despite significant progress in prevention and treatment, it remains a global public health crisis. This article aims to elaborates the causes and spread of tuberculosis, with a particular emphasis on how the disease affects Indigenous peoples as a cultural group that is disproportionately affected.

Mechanisms of Tuberculosis Pathophysiology and Transmission

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a slow-growing microorganism that can lay dormant in the body for a long time before causing symptoms. Although the lungs are the most common site of tuberculosis (TB) infection, other body parts, such as the lymphatic system, bones, and joints, are not immune to the disease’s potentially fatal effects. The three most common symptoms of tuberculosis are persistent cough, chest pain, and difficulty breathing (Urbanowski et al., 2020). The most common way for tuberculosis to spread is through inhaling infected droplets in the air, which spread when a person with the disease coughs or sneezes. The infection spreads quickly through the air and among close contacts. Another way it spreads is through prolonged, close contact with an infected person, such as sharing a home, a workplace, or spending extended time resulting in exposure.

The importance of tuberculosis prevention and control measures is vital due to the disease’s high prevalence and disproportionate impact on populations more vulnerable to its effects. Such measures include being aware of and accommodating to other people’s cultural norms when communicating, receiving, and administering necessary vaccinations. One-third of the world’s population has tuberculosis, and about 10% of those infected will develop active TB at some point in their lives (MacNeil et al., 2019). Those already disadvantaged due to poverty, HIV infection, or malnutrition are vulnerable (Lally et al., 2022). Preventing and stopping the spread of tuberculosis is crucial to public health and include early detection and treatment of infected individuals, vaccination and infection control in healthcare settings. Since cultural beliefs, practices, and communication styles influence an individual’s understanding of TB prevention and treatment recommendations and adherence to them, cultural competence is crucial when communicating about it.

Analysis of the Mortality Impact of Tuberculosis and Possible Interventions

TB is extremely dangerous, with the potential to significantly impact morbidity and mortality rates. It is the top ten leading causes of death worldwide, and in 2019, it was responsible for 1.57 million deaths worldwide, including 300,000 deaths among HIV-positive people (MacNeil et al., 2019). Those living in poverty, infected with HIV, and malnourished are at a higher risk of contracting TB. Income loss, social isolation, and discrimination are potential outcomes of the disease and significantly impact an individual’s quality of life (Lally et al., 2022). TB potentially has long-term consequences and impacts morbidity and mortality rates. The symptoms include lung damage, a persistent cough, and ongoing respiratory problems. Patients are more likely to experience emotional and psychological side effects such as feelings of isolation, depression, and anxiety. It causes the development of additional life-threatening conditions, such as meningitis and kidney failure.

Accomplishment of Tuberculosis prevention is through a variety of ways. The Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine is one of the most effective ways to protect against the disease (Lally et al., 2022). Furthermore, making an early diagnosis and beginning treatment for infected people is critical to prevent the disease from spreading further. Infection control in healthcare facilities and universal access to clean water and nutritious food are additional ways to combat tuberculosis. Cultural competence in TB communication is essential since it increases the likelihood that prevention and treatment recommendations are understood and followed.

Insight into the Importance of Cultural Awareness in Tuberculosis Discussions

Having cultural competence is crucial when discussing about the disease. Cultural factors, such as communication styles, practices, and beliefs, impact individuals’ ability to understand and follow prevention and treatment recommendations. These factors can influence how people understand the disease and their willingness to seek medical attention and adhere to treatment regimens (MacNeil et al., 2019). Public health messages and interventions may only be understood or implemented correctly with cultural competence, which will fail to control and prevent disease spread effectively.

Cultural values, traditions, and communication modes impact how someone experiences a disease, whether they seek medical attention, and how well they follow treatment plans. For example, some individuals refrain from receiving treatment due to the cultural stigma associated with TB (Lally et al., 2022). It is difficult for people who prefer not to use Western medicine because traditional healers are prevalent in some cultures. A person’s receptivity to preventative measures and medical intervention is affected by the widespread belief in some cultures that a curse or bad luck brings on tuberculosis (MacNeil et al., 2019). Treatment and prevention messages should be customized to the intended audience’s cultural values, customs, and communication preferences. It is done through public health education campaigns that involve prominent community members, speak in a language that the target audience can understand, and present information in a way that is understandable to the general public.

Effects of Tuberculosis on Indigenous Population and Promotion of Communication

The world’s indigenous populations continue to bear the adverse effects of the tuberculosis pandemic. They are disproportionately affected by the disease and are more likely to be infected, experience severe illness, and die directly from it. High rates of smoking and alcohol consumption, poverty and substandard housing, a lack of access to healthcare, and poor environmental conditions, are frequently cited as contributing factors (Lally et al., 2022). The indigenous population’s ability to understand and comply with TB prevention and treatment recommendations is influenced by culturally specific beliefs and rituals.

Effective communication requires the participation of community leaders and health workers from those communities. It helps ensure that the messages communicated are culturally appropriate and relevant to the community. The National Tuberculosis Advisory Committee (NTAC) has developed TB programmatic operations at a state and territory level to address the impact of TB on Indigenous Australians (Lally et al., 2022). This program aims to improve TB prevention, diagnosis, and treatment for Indigenous Australians through various activities such as community engagement, education, and training. It raises awareness, encourages early testing and treatment, and improves access to care and support services for Indigenous Australians affected by TB. It focuses on addressing the social determinants of health contributing to the high rates of tuberculosis among Indigenous Australians, such as poverty, poor housing conditions, and limited access to healthcare (Lally et al., 2022). Through this program, Indigenous Australians receive culturally appropriate education and support to help address the impact of tuberculosis on their communities.

Participation and ongoing evaluation of the TB communication strategy

It is critical to include community members directly affected by tuberculosis in developing communication strategies to overcome the devastating effects of the disease on indigenous communities. Indigenous community members, as well as Indigenous community leaders and health workers, should be involved in all stages of tuberculosis education, from evaluation to feedback. It ensures that communication is sensitive to the values of the community and meets the needs of the people. Active participation of Indigenous community members in developing a communication plan increases the community’s trust in the plan and willingness to implement its tuberculosis prevention and treatment recommendations.

Regularly evaluating the communication strategy’s success to identify weaknesses and improve the approach is vital. It includes tracking the number of new TB cases, the proportion of new Indigenous cases, and the reception and impact of communication messages (Lally et al., 2022). Focus groups and community surveys are examples of feedback mechanisms to gain insight into the effectiveness of the communication strategy and identify areas where changes are needed. The comments of Native community members aid in identifying any barriers that prevent TB prevention and treatment messages from reaching their intended audiences.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there is a significant tuberculosis challenge among indigenous populations. Compared to non-indigenous populations, they have a much higher risk of infection, becoming severely ill from it, and ultimately passing away. Involving community members and health workers in the design and delivery of education programs is an example of an effective communication strategy used to lessen the disease’s impact on Indigenous populations. It is crucial to stress the importance of cultural competence in combating tuberculosis, as the ability of indigenous peoples to understand and follow recommendations for prevention and treatment is influenced by their unique cultural beliefs and practices.

References

Lally, N., Petrie, S., Yousef, K., Durrheim, D., Ferson, M., & Kaldor, J. (2022). The strategic plan for control of tuberculosis in Australia, 2021–2025. Communicable Diseases Intelligence, 46, 1–15. Web.

MacNeil, A., Floyd, K., Maloney, S., Sismanidis, C., & Glaziou, P. (2019). Global Epidemiology of Tuberculosis and Progress Toward achieving global targets – 2017. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web.

Urbanowski, M. E., Ordonez, A. A., Ruiz-Bedoya, C. A., Jain, S. K., & Bishai, W. R. (2020). CAVITARY tuberculosis: The gateway of disease transmission. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 20(6), e117–e128. Web.