A SOCIO-MEDICAL SURVEY ON PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS CASES NEWLY DIAGNOSED

Abstract

A socio-medical survey was carried out on 603 cases of Pulmonary Tuberculosis who had been diagnosed by means of X-ray examination at Health Centers and the Clini of the Seoul Branch of the Korean National Tuberculosis Association During the period from 5 September to 5 November, 1965. 1. Newly diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis cases were more prevalent in 30~39 years of age group with 29.2%. Regarding extent of the pulmonary lesion among the newly confirmed 603 cases, 25.7% were in the minimal stage, 34.7% moderately advanced, and 39.6% far advanced according to U.S.A. - NTA classification. 2. Among the total number of patients, laborers and production process workers showed the highest rate with 18.2%. 3. The majority of the patients(about 85%) were living in poor economic conditions and 47.9% patients had families to support. The type of house in which the majority of cases were living was board-framed and the typical Korean type of dwelling house was accounted with 30%. 4. The majority of new TB cases had heard or read some information on tuberculosis from Health Centres, newspapers and magazines. 5. the patients who had been initially diagnosed at Health Centers without previous TB history were 47.4% of the fottal TB patients. Among the reasons for visiting Health Centers, hospitals and clinics etc., the patients with symptoms were accounted with 45.9%. 6. Cechst pain was the most frequent symptom; 42.6% among those patients had their symptom and 29.2% had no symptom. 7. It was confirmed that 10.3% of the patients already had precious TB history among their family and 3.5% had some members of family who had died of TB. 8. Among 603 cases, 145 TB cases had 2,851 family members who were living in the same rooms and those who were sharing alone in one room was 5.8%. 9. As the extent of the disacase was advanced hose-hold contacts among these patients were more numerous. It was found that 42.4% of family members were in contact with far advanced cases. Among children under five years of age living with patients, contacts with far advanced cases occupied 4.8%. 10. It was demonstrated that 17.4% of the patients wished to pay for treatments, and 11.1% for home treatments. Furthermore, 54.4% desired free treatments through the authorities concerned.