Tuberculosis in Saharia Tribe (a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group) of India: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
Ratnesh Sinha, Dewesh Kumar, Sharath Burugina Nagaraja et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis estimated tuberculosis prevalence among members of the Saharia tribe, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group in India. Eight studies covering 163,562 individuals were pooled using a random-effects model. The estimated prevalence was 2,416 per 100,000 population (95% CI: 1,827-3,004 per 100,000). Estimates varied substantially across studies (I 2 = 98.67%, p < 0.05), although sensitivity analysis found no significant influence of any individual study on the pooled estimate. The authors report that prevalence far exceeds the national average.
Key findings
- Across eight studies and 163,562 Saharia individuals, pooled TB prevalence was 2,416 per 100,000 population (95% CI: 1,827-3,004 per 100,000).
- Between-study heterogeneity was substantial (I 2 = 98.67%, p < 0.05).
- Sensitivity analysis found no significant influence of individual studies on the overall prevalence estimate.
Why it matters
The pooled estimate indicates a substantial TB burden in a population identified as particularly vulnerable, highlighting the importance of measuring disease burden in underserved groups. The marked variation between studies also cautions against treating the pooled figure as a uniform estimate for every Saharia community or setting.
What to keep in mind
The included studies showed substantial heterogeneity (I 2 = 98.67%), limiting how uniformly the pooled prevalence may represent different settings.