Economic determinants in the incidence of tuberculosis in Mexico

Abstract

Introduction: Tuberculosis, the main cause of death by a single infectious agent in the world. Annually there are 10 million new cases and more than 95% in developing countries; this health problema is linked to the social and economic conditions of the population. Objective: To analyze the relationship between health spending and poverty with the incidence of tuberculosis in Mexico. Material and methods: Non-experimental research, analyzing economic and epidemiological reports of tuberculosis in Mexico, period 2009-2015. Results: Mexico’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew 45% in 2014 compared to 2009. The percentage of GDP invested in health decreased since 2009, from 6.2 to 5.9% in 2015. The population in poverty increased from 2010 to 2014, from 46.1 to 46.2%; extreme poverty decreased from 11.3 to 9.5%. In 2015, 20,561 new cases of tuberculosis were diagnosed, with an incidence of 17 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, increasing two tenths in relation to the previous year. Conclusion: The increase in the incidence of tuberculosis in Mexico is related to the socioeconomic conditions of the population. Public policies must address social determinants.