Tine test cards for TB screening: rates of return and associated factors

Screening for tuberculosis in children can be done with the multiple-puncture Tine test. Determination of the extent of induration following the test may be reported by a child's caregiver via a mailed Tine card. We report the rate of return of these cards, and factors associated with return, in a family medicine health center.

Retrospective review of the medical charts of 152 mother and child pairs seen in the health center over a two-year period.

Of the 98 children who had received a Tine test by age one, 16.3% of their Tine cards were returned to the health center. Children whose delivery was insured by Medicaid were less likely to have a Tine card returned than were those without Medicaid (OR for non-return = 4.3, 95% CI = 1.2, 15.4). Physicians often documented a tuberculosis screening result without a Tine card.

Given the low return rates, health care professionals responsible for tuberculosis screening should be cautious when relying on caregivers to interpret, record and return tuberculosis screening results, particularly in the most disadvantaged populations. More valid data are likely to be obtained from a clinical reading of tuberculosis tests.