Language in tuberculosis services: can we change to patient-centred terminology and stop the paradigm of blaming the patients?
The words ‘defaulter’, ‘suspect’ and ‘control’ have been part of the language of tuberculosis (TB) services for many decades, and they continue to be used in international guidelines and in published literature. From a patient perspective, the authors opine that these terms are at best inappropriate, coercive and disempowering, and at worst they could be perceived as judgmental and criminalising, tending to place the blame of the disease or responsibility for adverse treatment outcomes on one side —that of the patients. The authors propose alternate terminologies as well.
IntJTuberclungdid_May2012_Language in tuberculosis services.pdf