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Education
Materials > The Tuberculosis Behavioral
and Social Science Research Forum Proceedings > Dear Colleague
Letter
The Tuberculosis Behavioral and Social Science Research Forum
Proceedings
March 1, 2005
Dear Colleague:
In December 2003, the Division of Tuberculosis Elimination (DTBE),
National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention (NCHSTP), Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) convened The Tuberculosis
Behavioral and Social Science Research Forum in Atlanta, Georgia.
The theme was Planting the Seeds for Future Research. The
goals of the Forum were to identify and prioritize TB behavioral
and social science research gaps; to use that information to develop
a feasible, goal-oriented research agenda that will guide TB behavioral
and social science activities over a 5-year period; and to foster
productive partnerships and ongoing communications between national,
state, and local governmental and nongovernmental behavioral and
social science researchers focusing on tuberculosis (TB).
The Forum brought together over 60 academicians, researchers, TB
controllers and program staff, and CDC representatives. The expectation
was that their varied perspectives would contribute to the development
of a research agenda addressing high priority behavioral and social
aspects of TB prevention and control.
The Forum was convened to address the need for further TB behavioral
and social science research, as called for in the Institute of Medicine’s
2000 report Ending Neglect: The Elimination of Tuberculosis in
the United States. The Forum builds on the precedent of a 1994
workshop sponsored by CDC, the National Institutes of Health, and
the Health Resources and Services Administration, Tuberculosis
and Behavior: National Workshop on Research for the 21st
Century.
Behavioral and social science research has the potential to make
a tremendous impact on efforts to prevent and control the spread
of TB. This research is needed to understand the behaviors of both
patients and providers, and the impact of their actions on TB-related
care seeking, diagnosis, treatment success, and prevention. In addition,
health care service delivery and systems research are needed to
address the structure and organization of health systems as well
as the environmental, economic, and sociopolitical issues and laws
that impact the delivery of TB services.
Progress has been made at CDC in incorporating behavioral and social
science perspectives into TB prevention and control; however, there
is still much work to be done in this area. At CDC and elsewhere,
behavioral and social scientists are currently engaged in research
addressing a broad range of relevant sociocultural, behavioral,
and structural issues. Further research should be conducted in a
systematic manner, based on sound theories and using rigorous methodologies.
Page 2 – TBBS Forum
DTBE is pleased to share with you the proceedings from the Forum.
We hope that you will find the information of interest as you plan
future behavioral and social science research and programmatic activities
in your work addressing TB prevention and control.
If you have any specific questions or comments regarding the Forum
or the Forum Proceedings, please join the TB Behavioral Science
listserv at the following address:
cdcnpin.org/scripts/tb_behavioral_science.asp.
Sincerely,
Kenneth G. Castro, M.D.
Assistant Surgeon General, USPHS
Director
Division of Tuberculosis Elimination
National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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