title: Tuberculosis screening in alcoholics and drug addicts.
abstract: To ascertain the value of screening for tuberculosis in the New York City (NYC) alcoholic and drug abusing welfare population, 2,641 clients were interviewed, and 970 (36.7%) of them met preestablished criteria for alcohol or drug abuse. The prevalence of active tuberculosis was 0.91%, which is 28 times the age-matched NYC rate. Screening only those persons with a positive PPD and a cough substantially increased the yield of active tuberculosis to 7.2%, or 225 times the NYC rate. The prevalence of a positive tuberculin skin test was 32.4%, or 1.5 times greater than the age-matched NYC rate. Treatment or prophylaxis for tuberculosis was required in 128 or 13.2% of the screened population. Seventy thousand NYC welfare clients are routinely evaluated for medical illness each year. This study predicts that in 1 yr this subpopulation could yield 239 clients with active tuberculosis and 3,181 requiring INH prophylaxis. Screening for tuberculosis in the alcoholic and drug abusing welfare clients is therefore urgently recommended.
authors: HS Systems, Inc., New York, New York.
authors: L N
authors: LN
authors: Friedman
authors: G M
authors: GM
authors: Sullivan
authors: R P
authors: RP
authors: Bevilaqua
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Loscos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications*; D003371:Cough; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City; D011632:Public Assistance; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*