title: Predictors of positive tuberculin skin test results in a jail population.
abstract: The purpose of this analysis was to determine the prevalence and predictors of positive tuberculin skin tests (TSTs) in a jail population. TST results and demographic data were obtained for 996 male inmates of a Connecticut jail who were tested following identification of a case of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Inmates were predominantly young (median age, 26 years) and Black (51%) and were born in the United States (96%). Overall 109 (11%) inmates had positive TST results. TST positivity was strongly associated with being born outside the United States (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 11.3, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 4.9-25.8), being Puerto Rican born (aOR = 3.7, 95% CI 1.9-7.4), and increasing age (15-24 years aOR = l [referent]; 25-34 years aOR = 2.1 95% CI 1.2-3.5; 35-44 years aOR = 4.3 95% CI 2.4-7.7; > or = 45 years aOR = 6.4 95% CI 2.8-14.6). The combination of being U.S.-born and Black was also associated with increased rates of positive TSTs. The prevalence of TST positivity was > 10% for all age groups of inmates born outside the United States or Puerto Rico and for Puerto Rican-born inmates aged > or = 25 years and U.S.-born inmates aged > or = 35 years. Analysis of routinely collected TST data allows predictors of TST positivity to be identified and may help determine population subgroups for whom anergy screening and preventive therapy should be considered.
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University.
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hadler
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanguay
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000367:Age Factors; D003237:Connecticut; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011329:Prisoners; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000208:ethnology; D014374:Tuberculin Test