BMF CP134: Examining the Moderating Roles of Close Contact in Tuberculosis Transmission Across the Disease Features
Ni Putu Wulan Purnama Sari
Faculty of Nursing, Widya Mandala Surabaya Catholic University, East Java, Indonesia
“Still, the bird village is scared. Being scared is innate.
Seeing how Kingfisher is so close to Kitty…”
In “Brotherhood”; Wild Wise Weird (2024)
1. Project description
This study investigates the moderating roles of close contact in Tuberculosis (TB) transmission on the relationships between sociodemographic factors, i.e., sex, age, and working status, and TB features, i.e., pulmonary TB with cavitary manifestation (CPTB), extrapulmonary TB (EPTB), and drug resistance status (TB or MDR-TB). In this study, we use close contact with TB individuals as a proxy for transmission. However, we acknowledge the limitation it causes, as close contact does not guarantee TB transmission because infection depends on bacillary load, duration of exposure, ventilation, and host immunity, among other factors. Employing the Granular Interaction Thinking Theory (GITT) in study conceptualization and Bayesian Mindsponge Framework (BMF) analytics for statistical analysis, we explore a systems-thinking orientation to understand how sociodemographic factors interact with TB transmission to shape TB features, morphologically through CPTB, systematically through EPTB, and pharmacologically through drug resistance status.
1.1. Main objectives
The current study is conducted to examine the following research questions:
- How are the sociodemographic factors, i.e., sex, age, and working status, and close contact in TB transmission associated with CPTB?
- How are the sociodemographic factors, i.e., sex, age, and working status, and close contact in TB transmission associated with EPTB?
- How are the sociodemographic factors, i.e., sex, age, and working status, and close contact in TB transmission associated with drug resistance status?
- Is the association between sex, age, and working status with CPTB conditional on close contact in TB transmission?
- Is the association between sex, age, and working status with EPTB conditional on close contact in TB transmission?
- Is the association between sex, age, and working status with drug resistance status conditional on close contact in TB transmission
1.2. Materials
The GITT was employed for the conceptual development of this study [1,2], while the Bayesian Mindsponge Framework (BMF) analytics were utilized for statistical analysis [3]. The dataset comprises responses from 73 multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) patients and 219 TB patients in West Sumatra, Indonesia [4]. Statistical analyses were conducted using the bayesvl R package, which utilizes the Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm for estimation.
1.3. Main findings
In terms of direct associations, we found moderately reliable positive associations between working status and CPTB, age and EPTB, and age and drug resistance status. The most reliable positive direct association was found between working status and drug resistance status.
The moderation analyses revealed that close contact in TB transmission shows moderately reliable positive moderating roles on the relationship between sex and CPTB, sex and drug resistance status, and working status and drug resistance status. The most reliable positive moderating role of close contact in TB transmission was found in the relationship between sex and EPTB (see Figure 1).
Figure 1: The estimated posterior distributions with HPDI at 95%
2. Collaboration procedure
Portal users should follow these steps to register to participate in this research project:
- Create an account on the website (preferably using an institution email).
- Comment your name, affiliation, and your desired role in the project below this post.
- Patiently wait for the formal agreement on the project from the AISDL mentor.
If you have further inquiries, please contact us at aisdl_team@mindsponge.info
If you have been invited to join the project by an AISDL member, you are still encouraged to follow the above formal steps.
All the resources for conducting and writing the research manuscript will be distributed upon project participation.
Mentor for this project: Ni Putu Wulan Purnama Sari.
Other members who have joined this project: Minh-Hoang Nguyen and Quan-Hoang Vuong.
The research project strictly adheres to scientific integrity standards, including authorship rights and obligations, without incurring an economic burden on participants’ expenses.
References
[1] Vuong QH, Nguyen MH (2025). Developing Bayesian probabilistic reasoning capacity in HSS disciplines: Qualitative evaluation on bayesvl and BMF analytics for ECRs. https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/397326/3/wp25008.pdf
[2] Vuong, Q. H. (2026). Once the Door Swings Shut. http://books.google.com/books/about?id=Qur0EQAAQBAJ
[3] Vuong QH, Nguyen MH, La VP. (2022). The mindsponge and BMF analytics for innovative thinking in social sciences and humanities. Walter de Gruyter GmbH. https://books.google.com/books?id=EGeEEAAAQBAJ
[4] Nindrea RD, Sari NP, Harahap WA, Haryono SJ, Kusnanto H, Dwiprahasto I, Lazuardi L, Aryandono T. (2020). Survey data of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, Tuberculosis patients characteristics and stress resilience during COVID-19 pandemic in West Sumatera Province, Indonesia. Data in Brief, 32, 106293.
tags:
Tuberculosis