International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease
Volume 13, Issue 5, 2009, Pages 645-651

The impact of immigration on tuberculosis rates in the United Kingdom compared with other European countries (Article)

Gilbert R.L. , Antoine D. , French C.E. , Abubakar I. , Watson J.M. , Jones J.A.
  • a Health Protection Agency Centre for Infections, London, United Kingdom, Travel and Migrant Health Section, Respiratory and Systemic Infections Department, Health Protection Agency Centre for Infections, London, NW9 5EQ, United Kingdom
  • b Health Protection Agency Centre for Infections, London, United Kingdom, Infectious Diseases Department, Institut de Veille Sanitaire, Saint-Maurice, France
  • c Health Protection Agency Centre for Infections, London, United Kingdom
  • d Health Protection Agency Centre for Infections, London, United Kingdom
  • e Health Protection Agency Centre for Infections, London, United Kingdom
  • f Health Protection Agency Centre for Infections, London, United Kingdom

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether trends in tuberculosis (TB) rates across Europe are linked to patterns of migration. DESIGN: Descriptive analysis of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development population statistics and EuroTB data for 21 European countries for 1996-2005. RESULTS: TB notification rates increased in only three of the 21 countries: the United Kingdom, Norway and Sweden. In all three countries, approximately three quarters of cases were foreign-born. The UK had the third highest number of foreign nationals overall, but the highest number from a country with a TB incidence ≥250 cases/100000 (219000, 13%). European countries with declining TB rates had varying patterns of migration, but did not generally receive migrants from very high-incidence countries and/or had a smaller proportion of their total TB cases in their migrant population. CONCLUSIONS: The increase in the rate of TB in the UK, which contrasts with most other European countries, may, at least in part, be due to the fact that a high proportion of UK cases occur in the foreign-born, coupled with a comparatively large number of foreign nationals from countries with a very high incidence of TB. © 2009 The Union.

Author Keywords

Immigration tuberculosis Europe

Index Keywords

statistical analysis immigrant Norway Europe immigration human infection rate priority journal morbidity Sweden Humans lung tuberculosis England tuberculosis Incidence Article Retrospective Studies major clinical study United Kingdom Emigration and Immigration
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-67649531881&partnerID=40&md5=4d4f6f86951cc29515a58d27198e63fb
ISSN: 10273719
Cited by: 50
Original Language: English