Substance abuse and TB

A survey of 153,268 people with tuberculosis in the U.S. has found that around a fifth of them also have alcohol and drugs problems. The survey tracked people from 1997 to 2006 accounting for nearly everyone aged 15 and over with the disease during that period. Overall 19% of the participants reported that they abused drugs and/or alcohol but among people born in the U.S. that figure rose to 29%. The most commonly reported risk factor for TB was substance abuse which was more frequent than other factors such as HIV infection or homelessness among the sample.

You can find out more about this research at

http://uk.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUKTRE50P6RF20090126?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews&sp=true