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Tuberculosis screening among foreign-born persons applying for permanent US residence
Mona Saraiya1, Susan T Cookson, Paul Tribble
1Division of Tuberculosis Elimination, National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Ga, USA. yzs2@cdc.gov
American Journal of Public Health
|May 4, 2002
Summary
Physician adherence to tuberculosis screening guidelines for immigrants was 75% appropriate. Most deviations involved using chest x-rays instead of the recommended tuberculin skin test for initial screening.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology
- Healthcare Quality Improvement
Background:
- Foreign-born individuals in the U.S. require tuberculosis (TB) screening for permanent residency.
- Adherence to established TB screening protocols by physicians is crucial for public health.
- Variations in screening practices can impact the effectiveness of TB detection in this population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate physician adherence to established tuberculosis (TB) screening guidelines.
- To assess the screening practices for foreign-born individuals applying for U.S. permanent residency.
- To identify factors associated with appropriate or inappropriate TB screening.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of medical forms from 5739 foreign-born applicants.
- Analysis of data from a national physician database.
- Comparison of applicant and physician characteristics between correctly and incorrectly screened groups.
Main Results:
- 75% of eligible applicants received appropriate tuberculosis screening.
- Chest x-rays were frequently used as the initial screening tool, deviating from guidelines.
- No screening was observed in 11% of applicants in San Diego.
Conclusions:
- Physician adherence to TB screening guidelines requires improvement.
- Targeted physician education on TB screening protocols is recommended.
- Periodic monitoring of screening adherence is necessary to ensure guideline compliance.