Globally, men are significantly more at risk of contracting and dying from tuberculosis (TB) than women. Multiple studies consistently show a higher incidence and mortality rate of TB in men compared to women. While women may face unique challenges related to TB due to factors like household exposure and reproductive health, the overall statistical data clearly indicates that men are disproportionately affected.
Why Men Have a Higher TB Risk
Several factors contribute to the higher TB risk in men. While definitive conclusions require further research, some contributing factors include:
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Social and Behavioral Factors: Men's lifestyles and occupational exposures often increase their risk of infection. This could include higher rates of smoking, alcohol use, and certain professions with greater exposure to crowded or poorly ventilated environments.
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Access to Healthcare: Though research is ongoing to identify variations based on region and socioeconomic factors, men may sometimes have less access to healthcare or be less likely to seek early diagnosis and treatment than women.
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Biological Factors: Some research suggests biological differences might contribute, although this is less extensively studied than socioeconomic factors. For example, one possible explanation explores the possibility of hormonal influences affecting immune responses.
Data Supporting Higher TB Risk in Men
Several sources corroborate this finding:
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WHO: The World Health Organization (https://www.who.int/teams/global-tuberculosis-programme/populations-comorbidities/gender) states that globally, men are significantly more at risk of contracting and dying from TB than women. In 2017, close to 6 million adult men contracted TB.
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Multiple Studies: Numerous research papers (e.g., https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9873377/, https://bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12879-021-06475-z, https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofac512) report higher notification rates and overall risk ratios for TB in males compared to females.
While women face specific vulnerabilities related to TB, the available data overwhelmingly points to men experiencing a higher risk of developing and succumbing to the disease.
