7.4.3. Safety and a supportive environment

Adolescents with TB may experience threats to their human rights, including rights to safety, basic needs, access to health care without discrimination, protection against unnecessary hospitalization, and benefit from scientific progress. Adolescents and their families may incur devastating financial impacts, loss of income and food insecurity from TB and its treatment. Social and economic vulnerabilities increase the risk for poorer treatment outcomes, including loss to follow-up, treatment failure and death. Gender-based inequalities may be reflected in adolescent females’ increased risk of HIV infection and, subsequently, TB disease (see web annex 4).

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