Department of Economics and Center for Economic and Public Policy (CEPP), FLAME University invites you to attend a research talk in the Economics Seminar Series, 2023 by Prof. Monika Sawhney

Date: 1st December (Friday). Time: 1:00 PM - 2.00 PM Venue: APJ 009

Abstract: Gender plays a significant role in health care with attention to health care access and equity issues. Gender dynamics influence access to services and treatment outcomes for TB. Gender as a determinant of TB infection varies based on certain factors; for example, while men acquire more TB globally due to occupational and health-seeking factors, women may be less likely to receive appropriate diagnoses and may experience more and greater barriers to care than men. To date, most of the TB research and interventions have focused on “women and children”. However, recent TB prevalence survey/s in multiple countries highlight that tuberculosis rates are higher among males (Population-Based Tuberculosis Prevalence Survey from Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Vietnam). The latest data highlighting gender differences in diagnosis, reporting/notifications, and treatment of TB cases will impact TB preventive programs, policies, and funding priorities shortly. The primary aims of this research include: (i) assessing awareness and knowledge regarding symptoms, diagnosis, and appropriate reporting among different stakeholders working in TB-prone areas; (ii) ascertaining the depth of gender disparities in TB diagnosis, reporting, access to treatment, and reducing the burden of disease, and (iii) implementing gender-sensitive training programs/interventions (in close collaborations with existing programs in the region) to increase the rate of timely diagnosis and reporting of TB cases. A mix of qualitative and quantitative methods is used for data collection and analysis. Qualitative methods include focus group discussions among different population groups (women, men, drug users, truck drivers, and migrant populations). Quantitative methods included surveying multiple stakeholders to document health systems-related challenges in addressing the healthcare needs of TB patients. Preliminary results describe strong interlinkages between biological, occupational, social, and other cultural considerations in describing the effect of gender on TB prevalence, treatment seeking, and case reporting. Overall, gender, an often-overlooked component of TB programming, includes a variety of factors that must be elucidated to effectively target more gender-inclusive programming. The results of this work establish an understanding of gender in TB, under-reporting of TB, and low TB notifications based on gender to reduce the burden of TB through more highly focused TB control programs.

About the Speaker: Dr. Monika Sawhney is currently a tenured Associate Professor at The University of North Carolina in Charlotte, NC, USA. She serves as an Affiliate faculty with Africana Studies, Women and Gender Studies, and School of Data Sciences at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, NC. She has also served as a Clinical Associate Professor with Marshall University’s Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine (Department of Cardiology Services).