SOCIO-ECONOMIC DETERMINANTS OF PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS IN CHILDREN AGE

Tuberculosis (TB) is a public health problem that has significantly affected Mombasa County. The majority of TB patients in Mombasa County are from the urban poor population. A significant portion of this population lives in slum settlements characterized by poor health outcomes compared to those living in non-slum areas in the county. Pulmonary Tuberculosis (PTB) is known to take advantage of environments in slum dwellings to infect people. People living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) are often easy targets by the PTB due to their compromised immunity. Children with HIV/AIDS are disproportionately affected, with global statistics estimating that over one million children who are living with HIV/AIDS also have TB. PTB and HIV co-infection rank at the top of the diseases with the most morbidity and mortality. The co-infection accounts for 40% of outpatient visits and 45% of inpatient admissions. Mombasa County in Kenya is ranked second after Nairobi City County in PTB infections. There is a need to deal with the high PTB prevalence in the county by designing and implementing appropriate prevention strategies.