Abstract
BackgroundAlthough the worldwide incidence of tuberculosis (TB) has been slowly decreasing, the migrant workers remains an important gap for regional TB control. In Taiwan, the numbers of the migrant workers from countries with high TB incidence increase significantly in past decades and the impact on public health remains unknown. This study aimed to explore the difference of TB incidence between Taiwanese and the migrant workers.MethodsThe migrant workers are obligated to receive pre-arrival, post-arrival and regular chest X-ray screening during their stay in Taiwan. We retrospectively collected these data extracted from the Alien Workers Health Database in Centers for Disease Control, Taiwan from Jan. 1, 2004 to Dec. 31, 2013. Poisson regression models were used to compare the hazard ratios of TB between Taiwanese and the migrant workers after adjusting gender and age groups.ResultsThe total migrant workers in Taiwan reached 314,034 persons in 2004 and 489,134 persons in 2013, accounting for 2% of Taiwan population. The TB incidence of migrant workers was similar to Taiwanese (53–73.7 per 105 vs 45.5–76.8 per 105). Comparing with Taiwanese, the TB risk was significantly lower in male migrant workers (HR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.70–0.83, P < 0.001), but higher in female migrant workers (HR: 1.40; 95% CI: 1.35–1.46, P < 0.001). Besides, we found that the TB risk in migrant workers was 5.30-fold (95% CI: 4.83–5.83, P < 0.001) in youngest group (≤24 year-old) comparing with Taiwanese.ConclusionsMigrant workers in Taiwan have higher TB incidence than Taiwanese in young groups, especially in females. The mainstay young laborers with latent tuberculosis infection risk is an important vulnerability for public health. Further investigation and health screening are warranted.
Highlights
The worldwide incidence of tuberculosis (TB) has been slowly decreasing, the migrant workers remains an important gap for regional TB control
Comparing with Taiwanese by different countries, the TB risk was significantly higher in Philippines (HR: 1.22; 95%confidence intervals (CIs): 1.15–1.30, P < 0.001) but lower in Vietnamese (HR: 0.57; 95%CI: 0.47–68, P < 0.001)
Comparing with Taiwanese by different genders, the TB risk was significantly lower in male migrant workers (HR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.70–0.83, P < 0.001), but higher in female migrant workers (HR: 1.40; 95% CI: 1.35–1.46, P < 0.001)
Summary
The worldwide incidence of tuberculosis (TB) has been slowly decreasing, the migrant workers remains an important gap for regional TB control. In Taiwan, the numbers of the migrant workers from countries with high TB incidence increase significantly in past decades and the impact on public health remains unknown. This study aimed to explore the difference of TB incidence between Taiwanese and the migrant workers. The top two incidence countries were India and Indonesia and the most TB-resistant countries were India and China [1]. TB is one of the top infectious diseases and an important public health concern in Taiwan. Health Insurance (NHI) in Taiwan introduced the no-notification-no-reimbursement policy to enhance TB notification and to decrease the incidence of TB since 1997 [2]. The TB numbers (incidence) in Taiwan dropped from more than 16,000 cases (72 cases per 105 persons) in 2005 to less than 10,000 cases (41 cases per 105 persons) in 2017 [5]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
