Skip to main content

Persistent Disparities Seen by Race/Ethnicity in Incidence of TB

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on April 2, 2024.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, April 2, 2024 -- Persistent disparities by race/ethnicity are seen in the incidence of tuberculosis (TB), according to a study published online April 2 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Yunfei Li, Sc.D., from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, and colleagues quantified trends in racial/ethnic disparities in TB incidence among U.S.-born persons in a time series analysis of national TB registry data for 2011 to 2021.

The researchers found that compared with non-Hispanic White persons, the incidence rate ratios were as high as 14.2 among American Indian or Alaska Native females in an analysis of TB incidence rates for each racial/ethnic population. Females, younger persons, and those with TB attributed to recent transmission had greater relative disparities. Males had greater absolute disparities. In 2011 to 2021, excess TB cases represented 69 and 62 percent of total cases for females and males, respectively. The investigators found no evidence to suggest a reduction in incidence rate ratios over time; small, statistically nonsignificant increases were seen in most relative disparity measures.

"Reducing barriers to TB prevention activities and ensuring that all persons have access to affordable and effective TB services are essential for accelerating progress toward population-level TB elimination," the authors write. "Public health action to address disparities requires the collection of evidence to determine the causes of these disparities and the efficiency of interventions to close them."

Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted April 2024

Read this next

BMI Cutoff of 30 for Obesity May Be Too High for Middle-Aged, Older Adults

FRIDAY, May 31, 2024 -- The optimal body mass index (BMI) cutoff point appears to be 27 kg/m2 for detecting obesity in middle-aged and older adults, according to a study presented...

Emergency Inguinal Hernia Surgery Rates Increased With Lower Country Income

FRIDAY, May 31, 2024 -- For patients undergoing inguinal hernia surgery, emergency surgery rates increase from high- to low-income countries, according to a study published online...

Maternal Serum Alpha-Fetoprotein Levels Higher in Black Than White Women

FRIDAY, May 31, 2024 -- Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels are higher in Black than White pregnant women, supporting the use of accounting for these differences in...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.