Thermal comfort in relation to housing and tuberculosis status among individuals aged ≥15 years in Padang, West Sumatra Province, Indonesia.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) may influence thermal comfort perception through physiological changes such as respiratory symptoms and reduced metabolic activity. This study examined subjective (Thermal Sensation Vote, TSV) and objective (Predictive Mean Vote, PMV) comfort among TB patients, non-TB individuals with respiratory symptoms, and community controls in tropical households. Methods: This research was designed as a comparative cross-sectional study conducted on a sample initially assembled for a case-control study. We compared TB patients ( Results: The proportion reporting "too warm" exceeded 80% in community and symptomatic groups but was lower among TB patients (69%). Using logistic regression, higher temperature, lower humidity, modern style of house and attached house were all positively associated with feeling too warm. After adjustment for these factors, being a TB patient was associated with a reduced odds of reporting "too warm" [OR = 0.27 (95% confidence interval: 0.10, 0.72)] compared with the community control group. Conclusion: TB patients reported comfort even under warmer conditions in which most others felt too warm, suggesting altered thermal perception is linked to health status. Indoor climate should be integrated into TB care and housing programs, particularly in tropical settings.