Tuberculosis is not essentially a disease of the poor but poverty makes it hard to come out of it.
24 Mar, 2023
Tuberculosis is a contagious infection caused by bacteria. Persistent cough, blood in the mucus and loss of appetite are common symptoms that show up gradually.
Source: ThehealthsiteClosely packed houses, dense localities, close-knitted families and polluted surroundings make TB spread easily among poor communities.
Source: ThehealthsiteTuberculosis is not necessarily a disease of the poor. Malnutrition and compromised immunity (that can be due to poor standard of living) can make people more vulnerable to the disease.
Source: ThehealthsiteSymptoms like a persistent cough that might last for weeks or months might get ignored due to a lack of awareness. Blood in the cough might alert people to get checked.
Source: ThehealthsiteDiagnosis is just the first step. Treatment can go over a year. Among the poor, hidden costs like travel to the city and clinics, medicine costs and loss of income can make it difficult for them to continue.
Source: ThehealthsiteBlood tests might not provide absolute clarity sometimes. X-Rays, CT scans and other advanced tests might be prescribed for better diagnosis. This will add to the economic burden.
Source: ThehealthsiteTB also has a social stigma around it. People affected by it might be socially discarded and might lose their source of income. This will have a direct impact on their life.
Source: ThehealthsiteTreatment in terms of antibiotics can differ from person to person. Certain medicines might be ineffective if the bacteria causing the disease is drug-resistant.
Source: ThehealthsiteStudies have shown that mycobacteria divide asymmetrically and can form cells that differ in their shape, size and how they respond to a certain set of antibiotics.
Source: ThehealthsiteSome people due to high costs might prematurely pause their treatment or might start another without completing the prior one. This can lead to the emergence of drug-resistant strains.
Source: ThehealthsiteDue to the unbearable economic situation, many won’t be able to continue with the treatment and might completely abandon it and die due to worsening symptoms.
Source: ThehealthsiteUnfortunately, the poor living conditions and inability to isolate the affected person might result in other members of the family ending up with the same disease.
Source: ThehealthsiteThanks For Reading!