An unanswered health disparity: tuberculosis among correctional inmates, 1993 through 2003.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to describe disparities and trends in tuberculosis (TB) risk factors and treatment outcomes between correctional inmate and noninmate populations.


METHODS
We analyzed data reported to the national TB surveillance system from 1993 through 2003. We compared characteristics between inmate and non-inmate men aged 15-64 years.


RESULTS
Of the 210976 total US TB cases, 3.8% (7820) were reported from correctional systems. Federal and state prison case rates were 29.4 and 24.2 cases per 100000 inmates, respectively, which were considerably higher than those in the noninmate population (6.7 per 100000 people). Inmates with TB were more likely to have at least 1 TB risk factor compared with noninmates (60.1% vs 42.0%, respectively) and to receive directly observed therapy (65.0% vs 41.0%, respectively); however, they were less likely to complete treatment (76.8% vs 89.4%, respectively). Among inmates, 58.9% completed treatment within 12 months compared with 73.2% of noninmates.


CONCLUSIONS
Tuberculosis case rates in prison systems remain higher than in the general population. Inmates with TB are less likely than noninmates to complete treatment.
MacNeil
Jessica R
JR
Division of Tuberculosis Elimination, National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention, Office of Communications, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Mail Stop E-06, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
Lobato
Mark N
MN
Moore
Marisa
M
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023801:Directly Observed Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D005260:Female; D015528:HIV Seroprevalence; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity / Q000639:trends*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011329:Prisoners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D000995:Antitubercular Agents