Related Experiment Videos
Screening immigrants for tuberculosis in Newcastle upon Tyne
1North Tyneside Health Authority, Newcastle upon Tyne.
Journal of Public Health Medicine
|November 5, 1997
Summary
Screening immigrants for tuberculosis using the Port of Arrival (POA) system in Newcastle was found to be inadequate. The study highlights the low yield of active tuberculosis cases and suggests a need for national audit to assess effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Infectious Disease Control
- Immigration Health
Background:
- UK national guidelines recommend screening immigrants from high tuberculosis (TB) prevalence countries.
- Previous studies on immigrant TB screening at a district level are limited.
- This study evaluated TB screening effectiveness for immigrants in Newcastle.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the contribution of immigrant screening to tuberculosis control in Newcastle.
- To evaluate the adequacy of the Port of Arrival (POA) system for identifying immigrants for TB screening.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Port of Arrival (POA) forms and Family Health Services Authority (FHSA) registers to identify new immigrants in 1993.
- Reviewed hospital and practice records for screening evidence and outcomes up to the end of 1994.
- Focused on immigrants from the Indian sub-continent identified through POA and FHSA.
Main Results:
- 252 POA forms were processed; 100 were for immigrants from the Indian sub-continent.
- Less than one-third of all new immigrants from the Indian sub-continent were identified.
- 39% of immigrants identified via POA forms were screened, detecting one active TB case.
Conclusions:
- The POA system alone is insufficient for effective immigrant TB screening.
- Current evidence suggests immigrant TB screening systems have a low yield of new cases.
- A national audit is recommended to determine the effectiveness of screening immigrants for tuberculosis.