Community Empowerment through Cadres in the Tuberculosis Program: A Scoping Review

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a global public health problem with high morbidity and mortality rates, especially in low-and middle-income countries. Community-based approaches, including empowerment of health cadres, have been recognized as a key strategy to improve the success of TB control programs. This review systematically identifies research that has been carried out to determine the contribution of cadres in tuberculosis control programs in various countries. Methods: This scoping review used five electronic databases, namely PubMed, Scopus, Medline-Ebscohost, ProQuest, and Cochrane, to identify the contribution of cadres in TB programs. Article selection was based on PCC (Population, Concept, Context) criteria with a limitation of 2014-2024 and only English-language articles. Results: Out of 793 initial articles, 20 articles met the eligibility criteria. Studies show that empowering cadres is effective in detecting TB cases, improving patient adherence to treatment, and overcoming stigma through culture-based education. However, challenges such as lack of training, incentives, and access to diagnostic tools often hinder cadre performance. Conclusion: Health cadres play an important role in bridging the gap between formal health services and the community. With the support of structured training, resource allocation, and community empowerment, cadres can maximize their impact in TB control programs. © 2025 Setiyadi et al.