Long-term solutions to women's vulnerability lie in the empowerment of women to achieve economic autonomy and full participation in decisions which affect their lives. Turbeculosis is the leading infectious cause of death in women worldwide. Women are at increased risk of progression to disease during their reproductive years. However, in most low-income countries, twice as many men are notified with tuberculosis as women. Biological mechanisms may account for most of this difference but socioeconomic and cultural factors leading to barriers in accessing health care may cause under-notification in women.
Tuberculosis is a major cause of preventable suffering and death in women.
WHO's recommended tuberculosis control strategy, DOTS, represents a cost-effective response to the problem of tuberculosis in women. While the study investigated a wide range of gender differences in the impact of leprosy, this article focuses on only two - marriage and family reactions. Women suffered more isolation and rejection. Psychologically, women appeared more vulnerable because they were deprived of personal contact with others in the domestic environment where they were accustomed to receiving their greatest emotional rewards. The evidence presented in the article demonstrates the importance of analyzing leprosy from a gender perspective, not only because this approach helps to inform our understanding of the determinants and consequences of the disease, but also because it provides new insights for improved disease control.