Researchers have identified various drivers such as rising incarceration rates, mass migration, inadequate healthcare access and persistent poverty and inequality. TB is associated with a high health burden, exacerbating chronic diseases and prompting significant long-term illnesses such as post-TB lung disease, adding to the strain on Latin America’s underfunded healthcare systems.
Most TB cases are found in adult men, affecting economic productivity in a region where female labour force participation rates remain low.
Long-term health impacts can affect survivors’ ability to work, increasing the risk of households falling into poverty.
Fears of TB spread may strengthen already-rising anti-migrant sentiment if they are perceived as sources of disease.
