Study in Nature Medicine shows Brazil’s Bolsa Família Program significantly reduced tuberculosis incidence and mortality, especially among Indigenous, Black, and poor populations, highlighting its role in disease control and poverty reduction.
A recent study published in Nature Medicine titled “Effects of conditional cash transfers on tuberculosis incidence and mortality according to race, ethnicity and socioeconomic factors in the 100 Million Brazilian Cohort” explores the impact of Brazil’s Bolsa Família Program (BFP), the world’s largest conditional cash transfer (CCT) initiative, on tuberculosis (TB) outcomes.
Utilizing data from the 100 Million Brazilian Cohort spanning 2004 to 2015, the research investigates how BFP participation influences TB incidence, mortality, and case-fatality rates across different racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. The findings highlight significant reductions in TB outcomes, especially among Indigenous populations, individuals of Black and Pardo ethnicity, and those living in extreme poverty, underlining the program’s potential contribution to global TB eradication efforts and poverty alleviation goals.