Tanja A. J. Houweling|Henrike E. Karim?Kos|Margarete C. Kulik|Wilma A. Stolk|Juanita A. Haagsma|Edeltraud J. Lenk|Jan Hendrik Richardus|Sake J. de Vlas
Socioeconomic Inequalities in Neglected Tropical Diseases: A Systematic Review
Erasmus MC|Erasmus MC|University of California, San Francisco|Erasmus MC|Erasmus MC|Erasmus MC|Erasmus University Rotterdam|Erasmus MC|Erasmus MC
neglected tropical diseases ntds generally assumed concentrated poor populations evidence remains scattered describe withincountry socioeconomic inequalities nine ntds listed london declaration intensified control andor elimination lymphatic filariasis lf onchocerciasis schistosomiasis soiltransmitted helminthiasis sth trachoma chagas disease human african trypanosomiasis hat leprosy visceral leishmaniasis vlwe conducted systematic literature review including publications 20042013 found embase medline ovidsp cochrane central web science popline lilacs scielo included publications international peerreviewed journals studies concerning top 20 countries terms burden ntd studywe identified 5516 publications 93 met inclusion criteria 59 papers reported substantial statistically significant socioeconomic inequalities ntd distribution higher odds infection disease among poor lesseducated people compared betteroff groups findings mixed 23 studies 11 studies showed substantial statistically significant inequality information available sth vl schistosomiasis lesser extent trachoma ntds evidence socioeconomic distribution scarce magnitude inequality varied often odds infection disease twice high among socioeconomically disadvantaged groups compared betteroff strata inequalities often took form gradient higher odds infection disease step socioeconomic hierarchy notwithstanding inequalities prevalence ntds sometimes also high among betteroff groups highly endemic areaswhile recent evidence socioeconomic inequalities scarce individual ntds considerable evidence substantially higher odds infection disease among socioeconomically disadvantaged groups ntd control activities proposed london declaration set way reach need benefit poorest populations poor countries