| Show Tuberculosis 1998 Total Tuberculosis Cases in Utah 52 Compiled by Kelly Ann Booth Tuberculosis TB continues to bemajor public health problem both nationally and internationally In Utah the Utah Department of Health Bureau of Epidemiology reports that TB has re-emerged aspublic health problem in Utah after30-year period of decline Through 1985 tuberculosis rates in Utah and the United States were declining However since that time TB incidence has been generally increasing Utahincidence rate for tuberculoses has consistently been lower than the national rate The UtahS ratio shows Utah rates to be approximatelythird of the national rate Tuberculosis is an infectious disease with many behavioral and environmental risk factors Poverty overcrowding and malnutiiion may all contribute to contracting this disease The homeless population is therefore athigher risk for TB In Utah from 1991 to 1993 the homeless population comprised 25 of total reported cases In Utah this is alaming for many reasons First the homeless population represents only of the statetotal population but 25 of the reported cases Second there may bemuch higher incidence due to the under-reporting of disease among individuals who are homeless Furthermore it is particularly difficult to track and treat TB in the homeless population because many do not have regular contact with health care delivery system Wasatch Homeless Health Care provides screenings for all persons seeking access to Salt Lake County shelters 100 percent of people entering shelters are screened except for winter overflow emergency shelter which had about64 percent screening ratio in 1998 Other populations may be atgreater risk for TB as wel These include low-income groups recent workers undocumented immigrants-including residents of long-tem care faciliies the elderly and Active TB is more likely withAIDS patients compromised immune system making people with AIDS more vuinerable to disease The data below are based on reported cases This may not represent total incidence in the community Better ways of assessing at risk populations are needed Table 57 Tuberculosis Incidence Utah andS 1981-1998 Incidence rate per 100 000 population Year Utah S 1985 671 3 1986 1987 1988 9 1989 3 5 42395 1981 1982 1983 1984 0 26 43 259 2598 25 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 UtahS 1111109999 101010997865 Sources Utah 1981-1998 Utah Dept of Health Bureau of Reports of icable al Commun ogy Annu Epidomiol Depariment US Disease US 1961-1996 Unpublisned Repor Health and Human Services Public Health Sorvice Genterssifablefor Disease Control and Provention Summa it St anidit Report Online www2 cdc gov mmur distmds html Weekl Figure 24 Tuberculosis Incidence Utah andS 1970-1998 Tuberculosis Incidence Rates per 100 000 Population 20 15 100 1970 1982 1984 1986 1988 100 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 Digital image 2005 Marriott Library University of Utah Al rights reserved |
