Methodological issues in quantifying the magnitude of the tuberculosis problem in a prison population

Rieder, H L; Anderson, C; Dara, M; Hauer, B; Helbling, P; Kam, K M; Zwahlen, M (2011). Methodological issues in quantifying the magnitude of the tuberculosis problem in a prison population. International journal of tuberculosis and lung disease, 15(5), pp. 662-667. Paris: International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease IUATLD 10.5588/ijtld.10.0433

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SETTING: Correctional settings and remand prisons.

OBJECTIVE: To critically discuss calculations for epidemiological indicators of the tuberculosis (TB) burden in prisons and to provide recommendations to improve
study comparability.

METHODS: A hypothetical data set illustrates issues in determining incidence and prevalence. The appropriate calculation of the incidence rate is presented and problems arising from cross-sectional surveys are clarifi ed.

RESULTS: Cases recognized during the fi rst 3 months should be classifi ed as prevalent at entry and excluded from any incidence rate calculation. The numerator for the incidence rate includes persons detected as having developed TB during a specifi ed period of time subsequent to the initial 3 months. The denominator is persontime at risk from 3 months onward to the end point (TB or end of the observation period). Preferably, entry time, exit time and event time are known for each inmate to determine person-time at risk. Failing that, an approximation
consists of the sum of monthly head counts, excluding prevalent cases and those persons no longer at risk from both the numerator and the denominator.

CONCLUSIONS: The varying durations of inmate incarceration in prisons pose challenges for quantifying the magnitude of the TB problem in the inmate population.
Recommendations are made to measure incidence and prevalence.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

04 Faculty of Medicine > Pre-clinic Human Medicine > Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM)

UniBE Contributor:

Zwahlen, Marcel

ISSN:

1027-3719

Publisher:

International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease IUATLD

Language:

English

Submitter:

Factscience Import

Date Deposited:

04 Oct 2013 14:22

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 14:06

Publisher DOI:

10.5588/ijtld.10.0433

PubMed ID:

21756519

Web of Science ID:

000290135900015

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.7564

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/7564 (FactScience: 212855)

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