Socioeconomic inequalities of tuberculosis in India.

Muniyandi, M.; Ramachandran, R.

Expert opinion on pharmacotherapy ; 2008; 9; 1623-1628.

Background: The association between poverty and tuberculosis (TB) is well established and widespread.

Objective: To study the socioeconomic inequalities of TB in India.

Methods: Information related to socioeconomic inequalities of TB in India was reviewed, including study of varying prevalence and infection, regional disparities and demographic disparities of disease of TB with a view to establish a link between TB and poverty, in terms of income, standard of living, house type and social class.

Results: The burden of TB for India for the year 2000 was estimated to be 8.5 million and the annual risk of TB infection varied from 1 to 2%. The TB prevalence was significantly higher among people living below the poverty line compared with those above the poverty line (242 versus 149/100,000 population). Among the marginalized people, TB was 1.5 times more prevalent. TB was disproportionately high among the poor.

Conclusion: Poverty and inequality were very closely linked. Today's great health challenge is equity: accelerating health progress in poor and socially excluded groups.

Keywords: India, inequality, pharmacoeconomics, poverty, tuberculosis

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