Abstract
BackgroundCooperation between different public and private health institutes involved in tuberculosis (TB) control has proven to enhance TB control in different settings. In China, such a mechanism has not been set up yet between Centers for Disease Control (CDCs) and university hospitals despite an increased TB incidence among students. This study aims to improve arrival of TB suspects identified by universities at the CDCs in order to manage them under standardized, directly observed treatment-short course (DOTS) conditions according to the National Tuberculosis Programme (NTP) guidelines.MethodsFive matched pairs of universities were randomly assigned to the control and intervention group. After a baseline survey, a cooperation mechanism between local CDCs and university hospitals was set up in the intervention group. The effects on referral of TB suspects to the local CDC, tracing by the local CDC, and arrival at the local CDCs were assessed. Differences were tested by means of the chi-square test.ResultsDuring the baseline survey, the referral, tracing and arrival rates were between 37% and 46%. After implementation of the cooperation mechanism, these rates had not changed in the control group but increased significantly in the intervention group: the referral, tracing and arrival rates were 97%, 95%, and 93%, respectively.ConclusionsIt is feasible and effective to set up cooperation between CDCs and university hospitals to increase the number of TB suspects examined by CDCs and increase the number of TB patients treated under DOTS conditions. These public-public mix (PPM) activities should be expanded to cover all other university hospitals in China.
Highlights
Cooperation between different public and private health institutes involved in tuberculosis (TB) control has proven to enhance TB control in different settings
Many efforts have been made in China to improve the cooperation between general hospitals and Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with the aim of strengthening TB patient referral and increasing the case detection [9]
Characteristics of university hospitals and CDCs All universities had a hospital at the main campus while five had outpatient clinic(s) at one or more of their other campuses which were managed by the hospital
Summary
Cooperation between different public and private health institutes involved in tuberculosis (TB) control has proven to enhance TB control in different settings. In China, such a mechanism has not been set up yet between Centers for Disease Control (CDCs) and university hospitals despite an increased TB incidence among students. In China, the National Tuberculosis Referring and Tracing System for the management of TB suspects and Recently, many efforts have been made in China to improve the cooperation between general hospitals and CDCs with the aim of strengthening TB patient referral and increasing the case detection [9]. The arrival rate for those referred was 40%, so only 18% of TB suspects among university students arrived at the CDC. This is much lower than the reported average of 50% among all referred TB suspects in Shaanxi province
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