Introduction

Tuberculosis, the main cause of death by a single infectious agent in the world. Annually there are 10 million new cases and more than 95% in developing countries; this health problem is linked to the social and economic conditions of the population.

Objective

To analyze the relationship between health spending and poverty with the incidence of tuberculosis in Mexico.

Material and methods

Non-experimental research, analyzing economic and epidemiological reports of tuberculosis in Mexico, period 2009-2015.

Results

Mexico’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew 45% in 2014 compared to 2009. The percentage of GDP invested in health decreased since 2009, from 6.2 to 5.9% in 2015. The population in poverty increased from 2010 to 2014, from 46.1 to 46.2%; extreme poverty decreased from 11.3 to 9.5%. In 2015, 20,561 new cases of tuberculosis were diagnosed, with an incidence of 17 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, increasing two tenths in relation to the previous year.

Conclusion

The increase in the incidence of tuberculosis in Mexico is related to the socioeconomic conditions of the population. Public policies must address social determinants.