The role of eHealth and mHealth in tuberculosis and tobacco control: a WHO/ERS consultation

Abstract

Extract Both tuberculosis (TB) and tobacco consumption are major global public health concerns. About 9 million new cases of TB emerge each year and 1.5 million people die from the disease, despite the fact that TB is eminently curable in the large majority of cases with an affordable course of drugs [1]. Tobacco is the largest preventable cause of death in the world: almost 6 million people die from tobacco use and exposure each year, accounting globally for 6% of all female and 12% of all male deaths [2]. This number is set to increase to 8 million in 2030, or 10% of all deaths projected to occur that year. The burden of tobacco use is greatest in low- and middle-income countries and, unchecked, this trend is likely to increase in coming decades. There is a strong association between smoking and TB [3, 4]. Smoking substantially increases the risk of contracting TB and dying from it. Recent studies of risk factors have attributed more than 20% of global TB incidence to smoking [5]. As a result, smoking cessation is one of the interventions that can prevent TB and, among those who already developed the disease, improve its outcomes [6].