American Journal of Public Health
Volume 91, Issue 11, 2001, Pages 1797-1799

Effectiveness of postmigration screening in controlling tuberculosis among refugees: A historical cohort study, 1984-1998 (Article)

Marks G.B.* , Bai J. , Stewart G.J. , Simpson S.E. , Sullivan E.A.
  • a Chest Clinic, Liverpool Hospital, PO Box 103, NSW 2170, Australia
  • b Chest Clinic, Liverpool Hospital, PO Box 103, NSW 2170, Australia
  • c Chest Clinic, Liverpool Hospital, PO Box 103, NSW 2170, Australia
  • d Chest Clinic, Liverpool Hospital, PO Box 103, NSW 2170, Australia
  • e Chest Clinic, Liverpool Hospital, PO Box 103, NSW 2170, Australia

Abstract

Objectives. This study assessed the effectiveness of postmigration screening for the control of tuberculosis (TB) among refugee migrants. Methods. We conducted a historical cohort study among 24 610 predominantly Southeast Asian refugees who had arrived in Sydney, Australia, between 1984 and 1994. All had been screened for TB before arrival and had radiologic follow-up for 18 months after arrival. Incident cases of TB were identified by record linkage analysis with confirmatory review of case notes. Results. The crude annual incidence rate over 10-year follow-up was 74.9 per 100 000 person-years. Only 29.6% of the cases were diagnosed as a result of routine follow-up procedures. Conclusions. Enhanced passive case finding is likely to be more effective than active case finding for the control of TB among refugees.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

Southeast Asia major clinical study tuberculosis tuberculosis control radiology refugee Australia mass screening clinical trial Incidence case finding Article follow up human migration
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0034767045&doi=10.2105%2fAJPH.91.11.1797&partnerID=40&md5=c52a07e5a2f5d7e41267523257aa2f83
DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.91.11.1797
ISSN: 00900036
Cited by: 18
Original Language: English