ABSTRACT
Poverty is a public health issue. Too many reports and studies have documented the poor health status of minority and low-socioeconomic populations, and sadly some of the grossest disparities in health and health indicators are cited from New York City. Tuberculosis (TB) remains intertwined with poverty is beyond doubt. The health districts with the highest case rates—Central Harlem, the Lower East Side, East Harlem, Morrissania, Bedford, Bushwick, Fort Greene, and Mott Haven—are among the city’s poorest. Some indicators of poverty and deteriorating social conditions are also evident in the profile of those at risk for TB. The homeless and those with unstable housing are disproportionately represented among TB cases—one recent study done at a large public hospital in New York City suggested a figure close to 70 percent. TB is the subject of considerable attention not only in the city but also at the state and federal level.
