The discussion post reviews tuberculosis (TB) among aging people and how statistical analysis can help with the alleviation of this problem, as one of the primary reasons is the delay in seeking medical help. The value of the universal application is also a vital takeaway from my classmate’s research. I would like to focus my response on shifts in the U.S. population and how they reinforce this issue, making TB more challenging to eliminate.
Epidemiology studies can reveal additional data regarding access to healthcare and its relation to TB. The number of TB patients is in decline, although there are shifts in populations that are the most affected by it (Armstrong et al., 2019). In 2019, 70.9% of all TB cases occurred among immigrants, while U.S.-born individuals appear to be less likely to be infected (Schwartz et al., 2020). Moreover, the transmission of TB is the reason for 14.3% of all cases, making it one of the leading causes that need additional attention (Armstrong et al., 2019). I would like to ask, how do the current measures need to be adjusted to include indirect support of the older population?
In conclusion, public health specialists can prevent TB with greater success by focusing on populations that are more vulnerable to it and tend to spread this disease to older adults. Despite the decrease in TB cases, the number of older adults affected by it remains stable throughout the years, signifying that the current measures need to be tailored for this specific group (Armstrong et al., 2019). It is necessary to assess if it is possible to reduce the number of the infected and disease transmissions by focusing on the most vulnerable part of the population.
References
Armstrong, L. R., Winston, C. A., Stewart, B., Tsang, C. A., Langer, A. J., & Navin, T. R. (2019). Changes in tuberculosis epidemiology, United States, 1993–2017.The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, 23(7), 797-804. Web.
Schwartz, N. G., Price, S. F., Pratt, R. H., & Langer, A. J. (2020). Tuberculosis — United States, 2019.MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 69(11), 286-289. Web.