Tuberculosis: Socio-Demographic and Health Systems Disparities

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant public health challenge, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. The disease's burden is unevenly distributed, heavily influenced by socio-demographic factors such as income, education, and living conditions. Populations with lower socioeconomic status, limited access to healthcare, and poor living conditions face higher risks of TB infection and adverse outcomes. Additionally, health system disparities, including inadequate healthcare infrastructure, lack of access to quality diagnostic and treatment services, and insufficient public health funding, exacerbate the problem. Understanding the interplay between socio-demographic disparities and health system inadequacies is crucial for developing effective TB control strategies and interventions. Addressing these multifaceted issues can help reduce TB incidence and improve health outcomes for vulnerable populations worldwide.

The goal of this Research Topic is to advance our understanding of the interplay between socio-demographic factors and health system disparities that influence TB incidence, management, and outcomes. Key areas of interest include the roles of poverty and socio-economic status, malnutrition, education and awareness, racial and ethnic disparities, living conditions, comorbidities, substance use, age and gender, access to and quality of care, financial and geographic barriers, cultural factors, stigma, TB control programs, drug-resistance, and the healthcare workforce. We particularly encourage research that explores innovative solutions—such as digital health tools, precision public health approaches, integration of TB care into broader health systems, novel diagnostics, and person-centered interventions—aimed at overcoming these barriers and improving equity in TB outcomes.

Suitable themes for manuscripts include, but are not limited to:

1. Novel investigations into the socio-demographic determinants of tuberculosis incidence and transmission, including digital mapping and predictive analytics.
2. Evaluations of multidimensional health system barriers—such as integration, fragmentation, and workforce dynamics—in TB diagnosis, treatment accessibility, and care continuity.
3. Analyses of the impact of socioeconomic status and social protection policies on TB treatment adherence and outcomes.
4. Studies on the effectiveness of education and health literacy innovations, including digital platforms and community engagement, in TB prevention and management.
5. Assessments of gender, age, and intersectional disparities in tuberculosis care and strategies for health system responses.
6. Comparative studies on urban, peri-urban, and rural disparities in TB burden, health service delivery, and the role of emerging technologies and new policies in bridging gaps.
7. Research on the effects of migration, displacement, and humanitarian crises on TB epidemiology and control efforts, including strategies for mobile and marginalized populations.
8. Evaluations of novel and community-based interventions—such as patient-centered treatment models, telemedicine, point-of-care diagnostics, and unique public-private collaborations—targeting socio-demographic and health system inequities.
9. Innovative policy and implementation research addressing stigma, financial protection, multisectoral action, and quality improvement in TB services.

By exploring these diverse and forward-looking dimensions, we seek to identify transformative strategies and interventions to mitigate TB-related health inequities and strengthen public health responses globally.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Tuberculosis, Socio-demographic disparities, Health system inequalities, Epidemiology, Social determinants of health, Health inequities, Healthcare access

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.