Reducing distance and access barriers to TB care in cities
Understanding and addressing geographic barriers to accessing TB services in a high-burden urban setting
['FUNDING_R01'] · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · NIH-11257680
It tests ways to find and reduce location-related obstacles that keep city residents with tuberculosis from getting diagnosed and treated.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (BOSTON, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11257680 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
You would be part of a project that looks at how where people live and other access problems slow down TB diagnosis and treatment in crowded urban areas. Researchers will use surveys from people with TB and apply the “5 A’s” framework (availability, accessibility, accommodation, affordability, acceptability) to understand barriers. They will use statistical models and computer simulations to map which neighborhoods and groups face the worst delays. The team will use those results to suggest where programs could focus outreach, screening, or service changes to help people get care sooner.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people living with TB (or recently diagnosed with TB) in the high-burden urban areas where the study is being done.
Not a fit: People without TB or those living outside the targeted urban study areas (for example in rural regions) would not directly benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help programs reach people with TB faster so more cases are diagnosed and treated earlier.
How similar studies have performed: Previous mapping and access-focused projects have helped target TB services in some places, but applying the 5 A’s with structural modeling and simulations in middle-income cities is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
BOSTON, UNITED STATES
- BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS — BOSTON, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: JENKINS, HELEN E. — BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS
- Study coordinator: JENKINS, HELEN E.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions: Communicable Diseases