TB control: a matter of lifestyle

Abstract

In the West, TB was controlled before there was medication on the market. In South Africa this is far from the case: the inheritance of apartheid, poverty among certain social groups, and an exponential increase in HIV/AIDS make TB control almost impossible. The co-existence of two medical traditions (the Western medical system and traditional healing) exacerbates the challenge of finding effective measures for TB control. This paper aims to understand the underlying patterns of the persistant spread of this disease. Its point of reference is Max Weber’s notion of Stilisierung des Lebens, or lifestyle, in which the dialectic process of “chance” and “choice” plays an important role. In the category of chance, much can be done by policy-makers to create successful healthcare programmes, such as DOTS within TB control. Policy-makers, however, are not the only players responsible. Individuals must also take responsibility by opting for the chances provided. Even then, the spectre of the past may continue to bedevil the health outcomes of South Africans as they endeavour to build a new nation.