Risk Factors of Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Aseer Region, Saudi Arabia: A Case-Control Study

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) constitutes one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Due to adopted prevention measures, good public health practices, and better treatment, its incidence, prevalence, and case fatality rates steadily fell. Objectives and Methods: Following a case-control research design, this study aimed to explore the risk factors of pulmonary TB among patients registered in the Aseer Region, Saudi Arabia. This study included 105 active TB cases (study group) and 143 (control group) who were randomly recruited from those attending the vaccination units at Primary Healthcare Centers in Aseer. Results: Participants differed significantly according to their nationality (with 65.7% being Saudi in the TB group compared with 89.5% Saudi nationals in the control, p < 0.001); educational status (with 27.6% being university graduates in the TB group compared with 53.8% in the control, p < 0.001); marital status, with most TB patients being single, compared with control (70.5%, and 44.1%, p < 0.001); monthly income, with lower income <5000 Saudi Riyals (SRs), among TB patients than control subjects (80% and 44.1%, p < 0.001); and body mass index (20% of the TB patients were underweight, compared with 6.3% in the control, p < 0.001). Also, participants differed significantly according to their residence, with more rural residence among TB patients than control (18.1% and 7%, p = 0.007), and type of houses, with 84.8% of TB patients living in apartments, compared to 68.5% of the control (p < 0.001). The binary logistic regression model of the possible risk factors related to pulmonary TB revealed that nationality, residence, and body mass index were the only significant independent risk factors (p < 0.001, p = 0.007, and p < 0.001). Conclusions: Personal characteristics of pulmonary TB patients include being non-Saudi, less educated, not married, unemployed, with a low monthly income, and being underweight. Risk factors related to place included residing in rural areas and living in the basement of a rented apartment.