CTP: Socioeconomic aspects of TB at workplace

What’s inside:

Read this page to learn how TB is a threat to the nation's economy and the role of workplaces in reducing the burden of TB 

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the top ten deadliest diseases known to mankind and India is accountable for 26% of all TB cases and 31% of all TB-related deaths worldwide.

• TB control and prevention faces daunting challenges in India. A significant proportion of the population is undernourished, which weakens immunity and drives.
• 83% of TB cases come from the most productive age group of 15-60 years in India.
• The public and private sectors in India employ 470 million workers, of which around 80% are from the unorganized sector . [Unlike the organized sector, unorganized sector may not have access to formal mechanisms of regular health check up, insurance etc.]
• It is estimated that around 170 million work days are annually lost due to TB.

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Source:

Global tuberculosis report 2020: executive summary. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2020  * India TB Report 2021

Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) by the National Sample Survey Organization Ministry of Statistics & Programe Implementation, 2017 – 2018

What’s inside:

Read this page to know; how TB could impact the organization & why TB Free workplace is important.

Absenteeism & Productivity Loss related to TB in workplace and its implications:

The success of industries is closely linked to the health and prosperity of the community of workers, services, contractors and consumers. However, India’s response from industries, and business organizations to TB remains minimal and requires scaling up.

TB in Workplace impacts the organization by: Employees may lose 3 – 4 months of work on an average if they are affected by TB. 

• Lost man hours 
• Disruption in workflow 
• Weeks and months of absenteeism 
• Lowered productivity.

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The industries could also incur indirect costs due to, consequent recruitment and training.

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Why TB Free workplaces are important?; Challenges & opportunities:

• Workers spend most of their time at workplaces
• Difficult for the program to reach workers
• Workplaces play a vital role in creating TB awareness and providing necessary support for treatment completion
• Workplaces can promote zero stigma related to TB

What’s inside:

Read this page to learn how stigma & discrimination due to TB can lead to late diagnosis, disease spread and decrease the health & wellbeing of an employee affected with active TB disease.

TB related Stigma & Discrimination at workplaces, and Wage Loss affecting the Employee

People affected by TB lose jobs, go into debt and face considerable stigma from their families, community and employers. Thus, the impact of TB on individuals is often all- encompassing, affecting not only physical health, but also social, economic, and psychological well-being.

If the employer & co-workers are showing stigma and discrimination to the employee diagnosed with TB, it can cause:

• Loss of employment
• Lower Income

Added to the social consequences such as:

• Ostracism from family and community
• Divorce
• Loss of housing
• Depression, Higher levels of anxiety
• Lower Life Satisfaction

Since TB affects the economically productive age group, the social consequences mentioned above will be huge.

Many employees are migrants at their place of work and may be dependent on the employer, and on co-workers, for health care needs.

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To initiate and complete treatment successfully, and to prevent the spread of the disease in the community, TB patients and their families need the understanding, empathy, and support of employers and co-workers.

Four principles to prevent or reduce consequences of stigma:

1. People diagnosed with TB and those who are close to them are able to live and acess TB services without being judged.

2. People in the social circle / members of the community of the person diagnosed with TB do not fear TB but are assured that it is a treatable disease, and that their support of persons with TB will result in early and better recovery, and thus prevent its transmission to others.

3. Community influencers contribute to fostering of safe and acceptable environments towards people diagnosed by TB and thier close contacts.

4. Healthcare providers and health influencers adopt standards for TB care and their capacity in using stigma-mitigating soft-skills and language is built.

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Steps you can take to avoid stigma and discrimination against TB in your community and workplace:

1. Providing awareness:
   1. Against fear of TB.
   2. Regarding the curability of the disease
   3. Need of avoiding stigma and discrimination.
   4. On advantages of early diagnosis and need of treatment adherence
2. Advocating for undergoing periodic TB screening 
3. Providing extensive psycological, economical and nutritional support to TB patients and their family
4. Ensuring that your workplace is having a policy or guidelines against stigma and discrimination especially related to TB and HIV.  

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Recommendations for the employer:

• Conduct periodic health screening camps specifically for TB in your workplace
• Ensure HR support to employee diagnosed with TB by providing sick leave / paid leave during the treatment period.
• Allot flexible work hours during the recovering period. Consider provision of work from home if the circumstances allow.
• Introduce “TB FREE WORKPLACE” policy in your organization

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