Illness semantics and international health: The weak lungs-tuberculosis complex in the philippines

Concern expressed about tuberculosis and weak lungs varied considerably. Does this reflect differences in perceptions about contagion and prevention? Asked the general question "is weak lungs contagious?" 38% of informants said yes, 44% said no, and 18% were unsure. To probe whether age was a factor influencing contagion, we asked whether a child with weak lungs could cause an adult to fall sick with the illness. Eighty-four percent of informants said no, although 66% stated that an adult with weak lungs could cause a child to become ill.