A Detailed Individual-Level Analysis of Tuberculosis-Related Deaths Among Adults From Transylvania, 1850–1914

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, tuberculosis (TB) was a major public health issue across Eastern Europe, including Transylvania, then part of the Hungarian Kingdom. Nearly one million TB deaths were recorded in Hungary between 1901 and 1915, mostly among adults. This study examines TB mortality in Transylvania from 1850 to 1914 using data from the Historical Population Database of Transylvania, focusing on adults from the Greek-Catholic, Orthodox, Roman-Catholic, and Reformed (Calvinist) denominations. It explores how factors like environment, occupation, gender, age, and population movement influenced TB outcomes. Industrialization and population mobility, especially after 1881, increased the spread of TB across all denominations. Greek- and Roman-Catholics in open-type settlements had higher mortality, while Calvinists and Orthodox fared slightly better. Higher socio-economic status did not consistently protect against TB, revealing the central role of occupation and working conditions. Unlike many other studies, this analysis found that gender had minimal impact on TB deaths — likely because of women’s active participation in agricultural labour in addition to their indoor responsibilities. The research shows that TB became more virulent approaching the 20th century and highlights the need for future studies incorporating urban areas and variables such as housing, nutrition, and healthcare to better understand the dynamics of this complex disease.