The Language guide is primarily extracted from the 'Words Matter' document (Second Edition published by StopTB Partnership in 2022, https://conf2022.theunion.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/stbp_words-mat…). Its use has been envisioned to guide the accommodation of inclusive language for TB training & communication while developing & reviewing course content under the Modernised Training System. Categorized into 'Alternatives', 'To be Carefully Used' and 'Emerging Terms', the guide underlines terms that 'must be replaced or alternatives that are sensitive and inclusive, use of terms that must be re-considered and other emerging terms in TB.
Alternatives
Use |
Replace |
Comments |
They/them | He/him, She/her | More inclusive & gender sensitive |
Contact Person | TB Contact | Does not have strong negative connotations but is not person-centered |
Person Lost to Follow Up | Defaulter | Unnecessarily and unfairly places blame on the person receiving treatment |
Noncitizen resident or Unauthorized resident/worker | Illegal/Alien worker | Offensive & isolates their access to TB treatment & care |
Person with presumed TB | TB Suspect | Negative association |
TB Prevention & Care or Ending TB | TB Control | Its continued use is no longer recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) not people-centered, ignores contributions of communities & people affected by TB, -ve connotations of TB authorities as being in full control of all aspects of prevention, treatment & care |
PLHIV/AIDS PLHWA/Person living with HIV | AIDS Patient | Necessary to reflect the fact that an HIV-positive person may continue to live well and productively for many years |
Person Living with HIV/AIDS | Innocent Victim | The term wrongly implies that people infected in other ways (other than those infected medically or at birth through no fault of their own) are somehow guilty. |
Person/s with physical disability | physically challenged | The term ‘physically challenged’ is deemed inappropriate as it places focus on the identity rather than the person & their barriers |
To be carefully used
Use |
Use carefully |
Comments |
Person with presumed TB | Presumed Presumptive | The term ‘Presumed Presumptive’ places emphasis on the disease and not the person with possible tuberculosis. While, it can be used to describe a stage in the process of diagnosing TB, when discussing an individual, it is best to say a person with presumed TB |
Burden | It should be stressed that it is the disease, not the people affected by the disease, that burdens a country, a region or the world | |
Case Finding/Case Detection | Activity occurs by virtue of action taken by the person experiencing symptoms | |
People deprived of their liberty | Prisoner/Inmate | An alternative can be ‘People deprived of their liberty’ (in some contexts it can stigmatize people and can impact perceptions regarding the right to health for all |
Compliance, Non-Compliance | Noncompliance unfairly assigns blame to the person receiving treatment when many external factors outside a person’s control may be the cause | |
Adherent/Nonadherent | Unfairly assigns singular responsibility for treatment completion to the person receiving treatment, when many external factors outside a person’s control | |
Mobile Worker | Refers to a large category of persons who may cross borders or move within their own country on a usually frequent and short-term basis for a variety of work-related reasons, without changing their primary residence or home base | |
Bacteriologically +ve/-ve | Sputum/Smear Positive/Negative | Smear microscopy is no longer recognized as a recommended diagnostic strategy. The preferred term is bacteriologically positive/ negative |
Key and Vulnerable Population | Risk Groups | While the term is used in the epidemiology of TB to describe clinical risk groups when discussing an individual or group, it is best to say key and vulnerable populations . |
Person Affected by TB/Person on Treatment/Client | Patient/TB Patient | Patient/TB Patient ‘clinicalizes’ them and focuses on the treatment process rather than the person |
Emerging Terms
Terms |
Definition |
COVID-19 | An infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. COVID-19 was first reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019 |
Bi-Directional Testing | The delivery of simultaneous diagnostic testing for more than one disease |
COVID-19 Response Mechanism (C19RM) | A special initiative of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria to provide countries with additional funding to respond to COVID-19 to mitigate its impact on HIV, TB and malaria programs and to initiate and strengthen improvements in health and community systems |
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