Having TB Can Make Life Harder

Think about someone you know who has needed TB care, reflect on the story shared in the training, or watch the video linked below.

What challenges did the person face in coming for TB care? What supports did the person have that made their TB experience easier? What would have happened if the person didn't have those supports?

Check out the graphic down bellow that highlights some of the reasons and feelings why having TB can be hard for people in the community.

Having TB can make life even harder...

People already have a lot going on in their lives.

Leaving the Community
	Disrupts people's lives and isolates people. "I don't wanna be away from my community..." "I feel alone being surrounded by only qallunaat" "who will watch my kids when I'm out of town?"

Time Away
	Taking time off from work or school. Needing to rely on others to get food/supplies. Not being able to help family (in-person) "I don't want to fail my class..." "how will I get food if I can't go to the store?" "how will I make enough money to feed my family?"

Relationships with Others
	"I don't want anyone to get sick because of me..." "what will people say about me" "people say I have TB because I went partying"

Getting Pills
	Daily challenge of coming to the clinic for pills "how will I get to the clinic everyday?" "people will guess that I have TB if I come to the clinic so much..." "bringing my kids with me everyday isn't going to be easy" "I'm worried I'll forget to take my pills"

Body
	TB and TB pills can impact your body and make you feel sick "Am I going to be sick forever?" "I don't wanna die from TB..." "the pills make me feel even more sick..."

	These difficulties are often more intense if you are a parent or taking care of another person.

On top of all that, there is a lot of confusion about TB. Confusion about TB can make people feel lost or alone. Confusion also fuels TB stigma and worries about TB. People have also shared that negative experiences at the clinic or hospital have stopped them from coming for TB care.

This picture shows that without healing, these negative experiences or traumas layer onto one another and create an environment of worry and no trust. These layers can become a heavy weight on the person, their loved ones, and the community.

As we've talked about here, a person who has TB goes through a lot of challenges to be free of TB. It's important to remember this and share appreciation for the big effort of this person and their loved ones. People taking treatment are helping not just their health but also the health of the whole community.

Keep going! Keep working together!