Long-Term Mortality After Tuberculosis Among People With Disabilities in Korea

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Disability Studies

Background:

• Individuals with disabilities are at higher risk for adverse health outcomes.
• Tuberculosis (TB) survivors represent a vulnerable population requiring further investigation.
• Understanding long-term mortality factors in TB survivors is crucial for public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of disability on long-term mortality among tuberculosis survivors.
• To compare mortality rates between tuberculosis survivors with and without disabilities.
• To identify specific disability types and severities associated with increased mortality risk.

Main Methods:

• Nationwide population-based cohort study using linked national registry databases in the Republic of Korea.
• Included 305,055 tuberculosis patients diagnosed between 2008-2016 who survived at least 1 year.
• Utilized Cox proportional hazard models to assess long-term mortality risk, with subgroup analyses by disability characteristics.

Main Results:

• Disabilities were identified in 10.1% of tuberculosis survivors.
• Disability was associated with substantially higher mortality rates (46.3 vs. 16.3 per 1,000 person-years).
• Severe disabilities conferred the highest mortality risk; respiratory disabilities were strongly linked to both TB-related and unrelated deaths.

Conclusions:

• Tuberculosis survivors with disabilities experience significantly elevated long-term mortality risks.
• Disability status is a critical factor influencing survival outcomes after tuberculosis.
• Targeted interventions for disabled tuberculosis survivors are warranted to mitigate mortality.