• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.579-589
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• 2002

Since the inception of the National Tuberculosis Control Program in 1962, the incidence of tuberculosis and its associated mortality has declined dramatically due to effective anti-tuberculosis drugs and a systematic control program. The prevalence of radiographically active tuberculosis has fallen from 5.1% in 1965 to 1.0% in 1995. However, tuberculosis is still a major problem, as the mortality rate is still higher compared to other developed countries. Furthermore, tuberculosis is currently re-emerging in HIV/AIDS epidemic countries. In order to lower the tuberculosis death rate to the levels of developed countries, the tuberculosis control efforts in private healthcare institutions and the national tuberculosis control program in the public sector, need to work together more effectively and efficiently. In this paper, the quthor reviewed the current situation regarding tuberculosis management in private healthcare institutions of Korea based on the literature and the National Health Insurance Claim data, and the future tasks of tuberculosis management are suggested.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.697-708
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• 1996

Most efforts to improve tuberculosis treatment adherence target the patient and his or her behavior. This study examined the effects of behavioral modification training for these patients. Based on Bandura's behavioral principles of modeling, intervention strategies using a video program were devised to elicit specific patient target behaviors considered to improve patients' adherence to tuberculosis treatment regimens. A random assignment, two-group(experimental group and control group) research design including 81 subjects was used. The main outcomes measured were pill taking measured with the Medication Event Monitoring System(MEMS) Medication Cap, patients' self-efficacy, and their knowledge of tuberculosis. The findings are as follows : 1) There was a significant difference between the experimental group and the control group in patients' feelings of self-efficacy. That is, the patients who received the behavior modification program showed greater feeling of self-efficacy to initiate and change their behavior for the tuberculosis treatment regimen than the patients who did not receive the program(t=3.51, p=0.01). 2) There was a significant difference between the experimental group and the control group in patients' knowledge of tuberculosis. That is, the patients who received the behavior modification program showed higher level of knowledge of tuberculosis than the patients who did not receive the program(t=2.15, p=0.03) 3) There was a significant difference between the experimental group and the control group in patients' adherence to tuberculosis treatment regimens. That is, the patients who received the behavior modification program showed greater adherence to the treatment regimens than the patients who did not receive the program(t=5.11, p=0.00). The study findings provided useful insights into nursing practice, particularly in planning intervention strategies aimed at enhancing patients' adherence in tuberculosis that may also be relevant to other chronic diseases with patient adherence problems.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.241-251
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• 2007

Purpose: To identify the effects on tuberculosis mortality of a tuberculosis control program conducted at 108 community health centers in terms of structure and process. Methods: The dependent variable was tuberculosis mortality, and the independent variables were the structure(type of centers, staff, nurses, doctors, budget) and process(chest X-ray checking, immunization, case detection, health education, patients registering & managing) of the tuberculosis control programs at the community health centers. Data were analyzed using descriptive analysis and stepwise regression analysis. Result: Tuberculosis morality was positively correlated with type of centers(rural area)(p<0.01), but negatively correlated with type of centers(large cities) (p<0.01), (middle cities)(p<0.05), staff FTE(p<0.05), and number of nurses(p<0.05). Regression analysis indicated that type of centers(rural area)($\beta$=0.457) and case detection($\beta$=0.234) had a significant effect on tuberculosis mortality. Conclusion: Ultimately, this study will provide information to improve the effectiveness of tuberculosis control programs in community health centers.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.79 no.4
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• pp.201-206
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• 2016

Active tuberculosis (TB) has a greater burden of TB bacilli than latent TB and acts as an infection source for contacts. Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is the state in which humans are infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis without any clinical symptoms, radiological abnormality, or microbiological evidence. TB is transmissible by respiratory droplet nucleus of $1-5{\mu}m$ in diameter, containing 1-10 TB bacilli. TB transmission is affected by the strength of the infectious source, infectiousness of TB bacilli, immunoresistance of the host, environmental stresses, and biosocial factors. Infection controls to reduce TB transmission consist of managerial activities, administrative control, engineering control, environmental control, and personal protective equipment provision. However, diagnosis and treatment for LTBI as a national TB control program is an important strategy on the precondition that active TB is not missed. Therefore, more concrete evidences for LTBI management based on clinical and public perspectives are needed.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.300-307
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to provide basic data on the infection prevention management program, which is one of the infectious disease control program by identifying the prevalence and risk factors of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in healthcare workers. Methods: We surveyed a total of 3,046 LTBI test results, including those of 2,269 existing staff and 777 new employees. An interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) for the diagnosis of LTBI was performed using QuantiFERON^®-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-IT). The risk factors of LTBI were analyzed using logistic regression analysis. Results: The overall prevalence of LTBI was 16.0% (487/3,046). The prevalence of LTBI in the existing staff was 17.9% (406/2,269) and the prevalence of LTBI in new employees was 10.4% (81/777). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the risk factors of latent tuberculosis infection among the existing staff were gender, age and work period wheres, the risk factor amongst the new employees depended on their age. Conclusion: The LTBI was not related to the type of occupation and work unit. Therefore, while establishing an infection control program for the prevention of tuberculosis infection at medical institurions, institutional heads and infection control experts should encompass a policy for all the employees.

• The Korean Journal of Applied Statistics
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.529-538
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• 2018

Tuberculosis causes high morbidity and mortality. However, Korea still has the highest tuberculosis (TB) incidence and mortality among OECD countries despite decreasing incidence and mortality due to the development of modern medicine. Korea has now implemented various policy projects to prevent and control tuberculosis. This study analyzes the effects of public-private mix (PPM) tuberculosis control program on treatment outcomes and identifies the factors that affecting the success of TB treatment. We analyzed 130,000 new tuberculosis patient cohort from 2012 to 2015 using data of tuberculosis patient reports managed by the Disease Control Headquarters. A cumulative incidence function (CIF) compared the cumulative treatment success rates for each factor. We compared the results of the analysis using two popular types of competition risk models (cause-specific Cox's proportional hazards model and subdistribution hazard model) that account for the main event of interest (treatment success) and competing events (death).

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.68 no.6
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• pp.328-333
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• 2010

Background: There are several active tuberculosis (TB) cases in Korean high schools each school year. The risk of transmission in schools is extremely high due to the considerable time spent in closed classrooms. We evaluated the control of latent tuberculosis infection in Korean high schools. Methods: When a student was identified with active TB, tuberculin skin testing was performed on their classmates and on students in their same school grade. When a student had a positive tuberculin skin tests (TST), they underwent follow-up testing with QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT). The manufacturer recommended a cut-off of 0.35 IU/mL to determine QFT positivity was applied. Results: A total of 131 pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) patients were included based on the criteria for screening TB contacts in the National Tuberculosis Control Program. Seventy-five (57.2%) students tested smear positive. TST were performed on 7,109 students who were classmates of, or in the same grade as, a TB patient. Of the contacts, 1,231 students (17.3%) were TST positive and they were screened with QFT. Six hundred-sixty-six (55.0%) of the tested students returned a positive QFT result and the rate of positivity was significantly associated with the increasing size of TST indurations (p<0.0001). Conclusion: The use of QFT resulted in approximately 45% of TST positive students not being given chemoprophylaxis.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.172-179
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• 2018

Background: Insufficient training in infection control and occupational health among healthcare workers (HCWs) in countries with high human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis (TB) burdens requires attention. We examined the effectiveness of a 1-year Certificate Program in Occupational Health and Infection Control conducted in Free State Province, South Africa in an international partnership to empower HCWs to become change agents to promote workplace-based HIV and TB prevention. Methods: Questionnaires assessing reactions to the program and Knowledge, Attitudes, Skills, and Practices were collected pre-, mid-, and postprogram. Individual interviews, group project evaluations, and participant observation were also conducted. Quantitative data were analyzed using Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Qualitative data were thematically coded and analyzed using the Kirkpatrick framework. Results: Participants recruited (n = 32) were mostly female (81%) and nurses (56%). Pre-to-post-program mean scores improved in knowledge (+12%, p = 0.002) and skills/practices (+14%, p = 0.002). Preprogram attitude scores were high but did not change. Participants felt empowered and demonstrated attitudinal improvements regarding HIV, TB, infection control, and occupational health. Successful projects were indeed implemented. However, participants encountered considerable difficulties in trying to sustain improvement, due largely to lack of pre-existing knowledge and experience, combined with inadequate staffing and insufficient management support. Conclusion: Training is essential to strengthen HCWs' occupational health and infection control knowledge, attitudes, skills, and practices, and workplace-based training programs such as this can yield impressive results. However, the considerable mentorship resources required for such programs and the substantial infrastructural supports needed for implementation and sustainability of improvements in settings without pre-existing experience in such endeavors should not be underestimated.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.837-852
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• 2000

Backgrounds : Today, tuberculosis cannot only be cured medically, but also controlled by public health. Despite the overall worldwide decline in tuberculosis, the disease continues to be a significant problem among developing countries and in the slums of large cities in some industrialized countries. Particularly, this communicable disease has come into the public health spotlight because of its resurgence in the 1990's. our country has been operating the Korean National Tuberculosis Control Program since 1962, focusing around public health centers. Therefore, this study aims to compare the effectiveness of tuberculosis control activities, one of the major public health activities in Korea, by producing indexes, such as the yearly registration rate per 100,000 population and treatment compliance of tuberculosis on in small areas (communities). Methods : This work was accomplished by constructing a time-series analytic model using data from "1980~2000: the Yearly Statistical Report" with patient registry data of 234 City. County. District public health centers and by identifying the factors influencing the tuberculosis indexes. Results : The trends of pulmonary tuberculosis positive point prevalence and pulmonary tuberculosis negative point prevalence on X-ray screening have declined steadily, beginning in 1981 and continuing to 1998 by region (city, county, district). Although the tuberculosis mortality rate steadily shows a declining trend by year and region, but Korea still ranks first among 29 OECD countries in 1998, with a tuberculosis mortality rate of 7.1 per 100,000 persons, according to the time-series analysis for fatal diseases. Conclusion : The results of the study will form the fundamental basis of future regional health care planning and the Korean Tuberculosis Surveillance System on 2000. Since the implementation of local autonomy through the Local Health Act of 1995, it has now become vita1 for each city, county, district public health centers to determine its own priorities for relevant health care management, including budget allocation and program goals.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.72 no.2
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• pp.140-148
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• 2012

Background: Detection and treatment of tuberculosis (TB) infection with contact investigation is a key component of TB control program. I evaluated the prevalence and risk factors for TB infection among contacts of recently diagnosed pulmonary TB patients in a tertiary hospital in Korea. Methods: 206 contacts of 90 adult pulmonary TB patients underwent tuberculin skin tests (TST) and chest radiography. The TST results were considered positive with an induration of 10 mm or more, suggesting TB infection. A standardized questionnaire was used to assess risk factors associated with TB infection. Results: TST was positive in 97 of 206 contacts of TB patients (47.1%) and positive rate of TST increased with age. The risk of TB infection was significantly associated with close contact with TB patients (sleeping in the same room) (odd ratio [OR], 4.94; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.43~17.00). Conclusion: TB infection rate was higher in the elderly, and the risk of TB infection was significantly increased with close contact of TB patients.