title: Tuberculosis stigma and perceptions in the US-Mexico border.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the experiences and perspectives on the disease and stigma from the vantage point of the persons affected by TB in El Paso, Texas, and Juárez, México to inform research on health-related stigma and interventions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semi-structured interviews to study TB-related stigma and the impact on access and health-seeking behaviors with 30 Mexican-origin adults (18 years and older) undergoing TB treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Barriers to accessing health services for TB; emotional distress due to their deteriorated physical and emotional condition; reactions ranging from depression, sadness; doubt, anger, and fear of rejection; distancing, fear of contagion, stigma, and feeling of discriminated against, and isolation from loved ones were reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stigma associated with TB is a barrier to health care access and to quality of life in tuberculosis management. Stigma adversely shapes the experience of treatment and recovery. Stigma is not a naturally occurring phenomenon, but something created by people and as such it can be "un-done" by those people as part of a collective which comprises society.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Work, College of Health Sciences, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, 79968, emmoya@utep.edu.
authors.forename: Eva M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Moya
authors.affiliation: College of Health Sciences, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Mark W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Lusk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D057545:Social Stigma; D014376:Tuberculosis; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult