Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of tuberculosis mortality in San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico 1997-2009

Authors

  • José Alejandro Meza Palmeros El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR) San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico
  • Héctor Javier Sánchez Pérez El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR) San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico
  • Graciela Freyermuth Enciso Center for Advanced Research in Social Anthropology Mexico City, Mexico
  • Georgina Sánchez Ramírez El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR) San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of deceased tuberculosis patients. Subjects: Individuals who died between 1997 and 2009 in San Cristóbal de Las Casas (San Cristóbal), Chiapas, Mexico and had previously been registered as tuberculosis patients. Methods: All reports and death certificates from the San Cristóbal civil registry were reviewed. We identified and analyzed cases in which the cause of death was listed as tuberculosis (n=79). Socio-economic data was taken from the death certificate. To analyze the degree of social marginalization, addresses of decedents were geo-coded by Basic Geostatistical Area (BGA). Results: Most patients dying of tuberculosis had one or more of the following characteristics: 1) they lived in an BGA with high or very high levels of social marginalization, 2) they had low educational attainment; 3) they were peasants, migrants, or housewives, and/or 4) they were not covered by so-cial security. Conclusion: Most patients dying of tuberculosis are socially vulnerable. In order to prevent further mor-tality from tuberculosis in the suburbs of San Cristóbal, TB detection and treatment programs must be significantly strengthened amongst marginalized groups.

Author Biography

José Alejandro Meza Palmeros, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR) San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico

Estudiante de Doctorado. ECOSUR Master En Salud Internacional y Medicina Tropical

Downloads

Published

2014-10-06

Issue

Section

Original Research