Improving Tuberculosis Detection in Students in Shaanxi, China
Author Information
Author(s): Zhang Tianhua, Guo Liujia, Zhang Shaoru, Liu Weiping, Chen Guanghua, Hui Ma, He Guangxue, van der Werf Marieke J, van den Hof Susan
Primary Institution: Shaanxi Provincial Institute for TB Control and Prevention
Hypothesis
Can cooperation between university hospitals and CDCs improve the detection and management of tuberculosis cases among students?
Conclusion
Establishing cooperation between CDCs and university hospitals effectively increases the number of TB suspects examined and treated.
Supporting Evidence
- The referral rate increased from 44.6% to 97.2% after the intervention.
- The tracing rate improved from 37.0% to 95.0% in the intervention group.
- 93% of TB suspects arrived at the CDC for diagnosis and treatment after the intervention.
Takeaway
The study found that working together, universities and health centers can help more students with tuberculosis get the care they need.
Methodology
Five matched pairs of universities were assigned to control and intervention groups, with a cooperation mechanism established in the intervention group to improve TB suspect referrals.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the limited number of universities and the short follow-up period.
Limitations
The sample size was small, and the evaluation was conducted only five months after the intervention.
Participant Demographics
Students from 10 universities in Shaanxi province, China.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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