Language Guide

The TB language guide is primarily extracted from the 'Words Matter' document (Second Edition) published by StopTB Partnership in 2022. 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