Registration and management of community patients with tuberculosis in north-west China.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the registration, management and characteristics of patients with tuberculosis (TB) in north-west China, and investigate whether patients with TB were diagnosed and treated in a timely manner.


METHODS
Health-facility-based retrospective data were collected from district patient registers and case reports for all patients with TB registered from January 2009 to December 2011 in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, north-west China.


METHODS
Patient characteristics and clinical data were collected from the national TB epidemic reporting system using standardized case reporting forms for diagnosis, treatment and outcome. Data were collected and entered by trained health staff in the regional TB clinics.


RESULTS
In total, data for 20,396 patients with TB were collected; of these, 78.5% were farmers. The age peaks were 20-44 years and 60-74 years. Average health-seeking and diagnostic delays were 32 days and two days, respectively. More than half (54.7%) of the patients with smear-negative TB were diagnosed by chest x-ray. Moreover, 94.3% of patients with TB were treated successfully. From 2009 to 2011, the health-seeking delay decreased significantly (P < 0.05), and the diagnostic delay increased significantly (P < 0.05). A significant decreasing trend in smear-positive TB was observed (P < 0.05), along with an increasing trend in treatment success (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
In north-west China, there is a need to focus on key high-risk populations for prevention and control of TB, such as those aged 20-44 years and 60-74 years, males and farmers. Delays in diagnosis and treatment have a negative effect on cure rates and make it more difficult to control the propagation of TB.
Institute of Human Nutrition, Medical College of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
X
X
Wang
Institute of Human Nutrition, Medical College of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
J
J
Cai
Department of Tuberculosis Prevention and Control, Changji Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Changji, China.
D
D
Wang
Institute of Human Nutrition, Medical College of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
Q
Q
Wang
Institute of Human Nutrition, Medical College of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
H
H
Liang
Institute of Human Nutrition, Medical College of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China. Electronic address: aiguom502@hotmail.com.
A
A
Ma
Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
E G
EG
Schouten
Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
F J
FJ
Kok
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003153:Community Health Services; D057210:Delayed Diagnosis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D061665:Time-to-Treatment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
Community; Outcome; Registration; Supervision; Tuberculosis