The impact of mental and physical illness on family life.

With the breakdown of the mentally ill parent, there is generally a disruption in family members and the family as a whole, followed by re-integration or disintegration depending on the family's premorbid adjustment, their previous socioeconomic and cultural level, and the severity of the parent's illness. The changes brought about by a physical illness (in this case tuberculosis) follow a similar course; in addition, the fear of contamination created in the family may result in severe disturbances in interpersonal relationships.