Socio-economic conditions of tuberculous patients in Northern Ireland

Abstract

Summary o (1) The results of a survey of social and environmental circumstances of a group of tuberculous patients in Northern Ireland are reported. In all, 328 patients were investigated out of a total of 400 originally selected. (2) The majority of the patients resided in separate tenanted houses. (3) Approximately 17 per cent of the houses were in a bad state of repair. (4) Unsatisfactory lighting and/or ventilation occurred in just over 8 per cent of the cases. (5) All the houses in Belfast had a water supply in the house or yard; the corresponding percentage for the rest of the Province was 62·1 per cent. (6) The average number of persons in the families visited was 4·7 persons. (7) A separate bedroom for the patient was available in 133 (40·5 per cent) instances. A further 138 (42·1 per cent) shared the bedroom with one adult. The remainder either shared the bedroom with one or more children and/or two or more adults. (8) 162 (49·4 per cent) patients slept in a separate bed, 149 (45·4 per cent) shared the bed with one adult, and the remainder shared the bed with one or more children. (9) In 57 (17·4 per cent) cases, there was more than one patient in the household. (10) It is believed that a certain degree of poverty exists especially in households where the patient is head of the family and is out of work. The actual extent of the prevailing poverty cannot be measured by the present survey, but it is suggested that the subject should be investigated more closely.