Respirology
Volume 6, Issue 1, 2001, Pages 71-74

The incidence of tuberculosis in a cohort of South-East Asian refugees arriving in Australia 1984-94 (Conference Paper)

Marks G.B.* , Bai J. , Simpson S.E. , Stewart G.J. , Sullivan E.A.
  • a South Western Sydney Area Health Service, Sydney, NSW, Australia, Chest Clinic, Liverpool Hospital, PO Box 103, NSW 2170, Australia
  • b South Western Sydney Area Health Service, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  • c Institute of Respiratory Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  • d Wentworth Area Health Service, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  • e School of Paediatrics, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Abstract

We have used record linkage analysis to describe the incidence of tuberculosis in a cohort of 24 652 predominantly south-east Asian refugees who arrived in Sydney, Australia during the period 1984 to 1994. Cases that had been registered with the State Department of Health were confirmed by examination of case records. After an average follow-up interval of 10.3 years there were 189 cases of tuberculosis, equivalent to an average incidence rate of 74.9 cases per 100 000 person-years. The highest incidence rate was in 40-49 year olds and 47% of cases were in women. One hundred and twenty seven cases (67%) were pulmonary and, of these, 64 (50%) were direct smear positive. The incidence of tuberculosis in this cohort is similar to that observed among Vietnamese migrants to Australia and the USA and substantially higher than the incidence among people born in Australia. It is important to maintain awareness of the diagnosis of tuberculosis, especially in countries such as Australia, where the incidence in the general population is low but where there are large populations of migrants and refugees in whom a higher incidence is expected.

Author Keywords

Refugees Migrants tuberculosis Epidemiology

Index Keywords

refugee Australia mass screening Follow-Up Studies follow up human Refugees middle aged priority journal Aged Humans Adolescent male Southeast Asia female tuberculosis Infant Medical Record Linkage Conference Paper New South Wales Incidence major clinical study adult age distribution cohort analysis Asia, Southeastern Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0035041691&doi=10.1046%2fj.1440-1843.2001.00300.x&partnerID=40&md5=08f0adcb72ebd194b1f886d232b3dcd9
DOI: 10.1046/j.1440-1843.2001.00300.x
ISSN: 13237799
Cited by: 5
Original Language: English