ABSTRACT
Understanding the origins of an individual's illness requires a grasp not only of disease pathology, but also of the social, political, and historical contexts that influence that person's health. This chapter presents the story of Ana, Gerardo, and their daughter, Viviana: a family seeking treatment for HIV and tuberculosis in a rural region of Chiapas, Mexico. The chapter examines how inequitable social structures contributed to their contracting these diseases and becoming critically ill. First, the chapter introduces the concept of structural violence and then describes the family's experience as an outcome of specific forms of structural violence. In the final section, the chapter considers how recognizing structural violence can enhance global health practice, particularly among vulnerable and marginalized communities.
