Higher Rates of Tuberculosis Among Class B1 Filipino Immigrants to Hawaii Compared to Nationwide, 2010-2014

J Immigr Minor Health. 2019 Dec;21(6):1300-1305. doi: 10.1007/s10903-019-00855-z.

Abstract

Background: Immigrants to the United States from countries with a high burden of tuberculosis (TB) who have abnormal chest radiographs but negative sputum cultures during pre-immigration screening (TB Class B1) have a high risk of being diagnosed with TB disease within 1 year of arrival.

Methods: Using 2010-2014 national surveillance data, we compared proportions of Class B1 Filipino immigrants who received a diagnosis of TB disease within 1 year of arrival to Hawaii to proportions in other U.S. states (not including Hawaii) using chi-squared tests.

Results: In Hawaii, 40/1190 (3.4%) of Class B1 Filipino immigrants to Hawaii received a diagnosis of TB disease within 1 year of arrival compared with 220/16,035 (1.4%) nationwide (P < .01).

Conclusions: During 2010-2014, the percentage of recent Class B1 Filipino immigrants in Hawaii with TB disease diagnosed within 1 year of arrival was over twice that as nationwide.

Keywords: Hawaii; Immigration; Philippines; Screening; Tuberculosis.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Emigrants and Immigrants / statistics & numerical data*
  • Female
  • Hawaii / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mass Screening
  • Philippines / epidemiology
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / epidemiology
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / ethnology*
  • United States / epidemiology