Abstract
BackgroundChina is one of 22 countries with a high tuberculosis (TB) burden in the world. Healthcare workers (HCWs) have a high risk of contracting Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection due to insufficient infection control practices. We conducted a cross-sectional study to explore the prevalence of TB and its associated risk factors among HCWs in Chinese TB facilities.MethodsTwo hundred and forty-one TB facilities employing a total of 9663 HCWs were selected from 12 provinces in China to represent healthcare settings at the provincial, prefectural, and county levels. Structured questionnaires were used to collect information on TB infection control practices and HCWs in those facilities. Data was double entered into EpiData 3.1; TB prevalence and associated risk factors were analyzed using SPSS 21.0 with bivariate and multivariate regression models.ResultsThe results showed that 71 HCWs had been diagnosed with TB, accounting for a prevalence of 760/100 000. The multivariate analysis showed that associated risk factors included belonging to the age group of 51 years and above (aOR: 6.17, 95% CI: 1.35–28.28), being a nurse (aOR = 3.09, 95% CI: 1.15–8.32), implementation of 0–9 items of management measures (aOR = 2.57, 95% CI: 1.37–4.80), and implementation of 0–1 items of ventilation measures (aOR = 2.42, 95% CI: 1.31–4.47).ConclusionThis was the first national large sampling survey on TB prevalence among HCWs in China. It was found that the implementation of TB infection control practices in some facilities was poor. The TB prevalence in HCWs was higher than that in the general population. Therefore, TB infection control practices in Chinese medical facilities should be strengthened.
Highlights
China is one of 22 countries with a high tuberculosis (TB) burden in the world
The final analysis was undertaken using data provided by 212 facilities and 9336 Healthcare worker (HCW)
Of all the HCWs, 54.5% worked in prefectural facilities
Summary
China is one of 22 countries with a high tuberculosis (TB) burden in the world. Healthcare workers (HCWs) have a high risk of contracting Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection due to insufficient infection control practices. China is one of 22 high TB burden countries for both TB and multidrug resistant TB cases [1,2,3,4]. Healthcare workers (HCWs) that are exposed to MTB have a 10- to 20-fold risk of contracting TB than the general population [6,7,8]. As people with latent TB infections (LTBIs) usually go undiagnosed, the implementation of TB infection control policies in healthcare facilities, which includes the diagnosis of LTBIs, is imperative to decrease TB transmission, incidence, and prevalence among HCWs [9]. Systematic application of TB infection risk assessments, formulation and implementation of infection control strategies, early diagnosis, and prompt treatment are vital strategies that should be incorporated into TB infection control programs to effectively reduce nosocomial TB infection risk [7]
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