Vulnerabilidad social y tuberculosis: un círculo vicioso

Tuberculosis (TB) represents an important cause of morbidity and one of the top ten causes of mortality in the world, associated with economic problems, vulnerability, marginalization, stigma and discrimination. From a mixed study that triangulates quantitative data and qualitative information, the main results of the characterization of the social vulnerability of people with TB in the municipality of Cali - Colombia are presented, based on the AVEO model that analyzes the social vulnerability related to assets and liabilities that people possess and the opportunities that the context offers. The results show assets, liabilities and opportunities related to TB treatment, articulated through demographic, biological, socioeconomic, psychosocial and habitat dimensions. It is concluded that there is a vicious circle between conditions of social vulnerability and tuberculosis, in which people with higher levels of social vulnerability are more affected by the disease in all dimensions of their existence, increasing or maintaining levels of vulnerability, which that requires multisectoral interventions that go beyond health services.