[Characteristics of Notified Patients with Tuberculosis in the Honam Region, 2022]

In line with the national trend of decreasing new tuberculosis patients, the number of new tuberculosis patients in the Honam region (Gwangju, Jeonnam, Jeonbuk, and Jeju) is also decreasing every year, and the number of new tuberculosis patients in 2022 is 2,118 (37.2 per 100,000 population), an 11.0% decrease compared to 2021. Looking at the detailed status, the proportion of new tuberculosis patients aged 65 or older among new patients in the Honam region was 63.3% of all tuberculosis patients, which was higher than the national rate (55.8%). Additionally, the incidence of new patients was 113.2 per 100,000 population, which was 6.6 times higher than the incidence of patients under 65 years of age. Among new tuberculosis patients, only 9.9% are eligible for medical benefits. However, the incidence of new tuberculosis among those eligible for medical aid (89.6 per 100,000 population) was 2.7 times higher than that of health insurance subscribers (33.6 per 100,000 population). Additionally, there were 75 patients with multidrug-resistant/rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis, accounting for 2.8% of the total patients (2,686) in the Honam region. Although the total number of tuberculosis patients is continuously decreasing, the incidence of tuberculosis in the elderly over 65 years old and vulnerable groups is still high, showing the importance of systematic management of tuberculosis patients in vulnerable groups. The Honam Regional Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will continue to manage the national tuberculosis control project to eradicate tuberculosis so that it can be carried out without disruption.