Operational Overview and Implementation Challenges of Misokkumteo, a National Tuberculosis Care Facility (2011-2024)

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Diseases
• Social Medicine

Background:

• Homeless individuals are a vulnerable population at high risk for tuberculosis (TB).
• Continuous patient care and support are crucial for managing TB in this demographic.
• Misokkumteo is the sole long-term care facility for homeless TB patients in the Republic of Korea.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the characteristics of homeless TB patients at Misokkumteo.
• To evaluate treatment outcomes and post-discharge support for residents.
• To assess the facility's role in patient care and social reintegration.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 458 residents admitted between 2011 and 2024.
• Data collection included facility records and follow-up information.
• Key metrics: demographics, length of stay, treatment success, and post-discharge self-reliance.

Main Results:

• The resident population was 99.3% male, with a mean age of 53 years.
• Average length of stay was 196 days, with a high treatment success rate of 94.9%.
• Services included direct observation therapy, health education, vocational support, and post-discharge housing and employment linkage.

Conclusions:

• Misokkumteo effectively maintained the continuum of care and supported social reintegration for homeless TB patients.
• There is a need for expanded community-based treatment support.
• Financial assistance for managing comorbidities in this population is recommended.