In the 1800s and 1900s many scientists and doctors believed that African American people were more susceptible to the disease because they had less advantageous traits solely based on racism. In fact, many African Americans were even told that they had contracted TB because they were more biologically susceptible to it. In reality more African Americans got TB because of limited access to healthcare, segregation, overcrowded housing, and poverty created by discriminatory policies. However, not much has changed today, according to Racial, ethnic disparities persist in U.S. tuberculosis cases by a staff writer from the Harvard School of Public Health “TB incidence was in some cases 14 times higher among those who identified as American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black, or Hispanic compared with those who identified as white, the study found. Disparities were particularly marked among women belonging to racial/ethnic minority groups, who experienced TB incidence rates more than four times higher than white women.” Racism has caused certain populations to be placed at greater risk of exposure, delayed treatment, and higher transmission rates, contributing to the continued rise and concentration of TB cases in these communities. The Harvard School of Public Health also states that “Eliminating such disparities, the researchers calculated, could reduce the U.S.’s TB incidence by more than 60% among the U.S.-born population”. This suggests that tuberculosis in the U.S. is not only a biological infection caused by the bacterium M. tuberculosis but is also significantly influenced by discrimination. The factor of racism increases risk for certain groups, which raises the overall number of TB cases in the country.

The Stigma surrounding Tuberculosis can significantly affect how people respond to the disease and whether they seek treatment or not. According to A qualitative review: the stigma of tuberculosis by Neti Juniarti, “The stigma that accompanies tuberculosis can have a negative impact on the individual and family and may result in their withdrawal from society because of shame and fear.” This shows that being judged by society can isolate people with TB and discourage them from openly discussing their illness or getting help. Another study, Tuberculosis stigma as a social determinant of health by G. M. Craig explains that stigma can also delay treatment, stating that “Studies with HIV patients show that multiple stigmas result in a greater social burden of illness… they may delay accessing medical attention and suffer worse adherence to prescribed treatments.” The study also explains that in some places TB is linked with HIV, creating a “double stigma” that further discourages people from receiving medical care. The stigma of TB not only harms individuals socially but can also allow the disease to spread further.

It is common for people who have reliable healthcare and the financial resources to pay to think of tuberculosis as an outdated disease. However, this perception is misleading. Tuberculosis has not disappeared. It is simply less visible in wealthier communities where people have better access to medical care, early diagnosis, and treatment. In many parts of the world and among disadvantaged populations, TB remains a serious and ongoing public health issue. According to the Global Tuberculosis Report from 2025, about two-thirds of global TB cases occur in eight countries: India, Indonesia, the Philippines, China, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These countries have higher rates largely because of factors such as little to no food, crowded living conditions, and limited access to healthcare. Lack of food and food insecurity can make people more vulnerable to TB and lead to malnutrition increasing the risk of not being able to survive the disease. Even if a patient gets treatment or antibiotics they must take them with food, which is difficult for people who struggle to eat everyday. Poor ventilation in overcrowded homes and workplaces also increases transmission, since TB spreads through the air. Many people with little money also cannot afford or have any form of transportation to get to hospitals or places to get medical attention for TB. This increases the time infected and allows for the bacteria to grow eventually killing the individual. 

The growing problem of drug resistance specifically to Tuberculosis is detrimental to our future as companies prioritize profit over the health of our society. Over time, the bacterium M. tuberculosis can evolve to survive the antibiotics currently used to treat it, especially when treatment is incomplete or inconsistent. However, a major systemic issue is that there has historically been limited funding and research dedicated to developing new TB antibiotics. TB primarily affects poorer populations and lower-income countries and pharmaceutical companies often invest less in developing new treatments compared to diseases that affect wealthier markets. According to 5 barriers from Big Pharma preventing people getting lifesaving TB drugs by Medecins San frontier, “J&J are trying to wring out yet more profits by blocking more affordable versions of bedaquiline in India for an additional FOUR years. This condemns people with drug-resistant TB to another four years taking outdated and ineffective TB treatments that only cure one in two people and that require daily painful injections with traumatic side effects.”As a result, drug-resistant forms such as Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis are becoming more common, while the number of new medications to treat them grows slowly. This shows how economic priorities and global health funding can influence how effectively a disease is treated.