Health-Seeking Behaviour and the Barriers to Early Diagnosis and Initiation of Treatment among TB Survivors and Patients in Southern Districts of Tamil Nadu

Health-Seeking Behaviour and the Barriers to Early Diagnosis and Initiation of Treatment among TB Survivors and Patients in Southern Districts of Tamil Nadu presents a mixed-methods study conducted by the Public Affairs Centre (PAC) for Blossom Trust and the Stop TB Partnership to examine the factors influencing tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis, treatment initiation, and adherence in the districts of Madurai, Virudhunagar, and Ramanathapuram. Combining household surveys of 236 TB survivors and patients with focus group discussions involving frontline health workers, the study analyses health-seeking behaviour, socio-economic determinants, stigma, knowledge levels, and health system barriers using the Rao–Kelleher Gender Framework. It identifies significant delays in diagnosis and treatment driven by self-medication, reliance on private healthcare providers, low TB awareness, stigma, poverty, and rural disadvantage, while also assessing the effectiveness of schemes such as Nikshay Poshan Yojana. Based on quantitative regression analysis and qualitative evidence, the report recommends strengthening community engagement through TB champions, improving active case finding and contact tracing, enhancing private sector engagement, ensuring effective implementation of nutrition support programmes, and adopting gender-responsive interventions to reduce stigma and improve timely diagnosis, treatment adherence, and overall TB control outcomes in high-burden districts of Tamil Nadu.