Introduction
Tuberculosis (TB) laws and policies are commonly developed at national and federal levels to predict the spread of this infectious disease among populations. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that TB incidence has significantly decreased since 1993 due to specific detection, treatment, and prevention steps (Deutsch-Feldman et al., 2021). For example, there were 2.7 per 100,000 persons in 2019 and 2.5 per 100,000 individuals in 2020 (Deutsch-Feldman et al., 2021). This supplement will contain information about TB-affected populations, health determinants, policies, and recommended prevention strategies to improve health literacy about TB skin test importance.
Impacted Population
The policy of being tested for TB with a Tuberculosis Skin Test (TST) is related to all individuals employed or interacting with high-risk populations at the local hospital. According to the World Health Organization ([WHO], 2021), in most cases, TB affects adults in their productive years, which are between 60 and 70. It is necessary to mention that all age groups are at risk, especially those from developing countries. The representatives of such races as Non-Hispanic Asians (35.8%), Hispanic/Latino (29.7%), and African Americans (19.6%) are more impacted by TB compared to Non-Hispanic Whites (11%) (CDC, 2021). Thus, the population impacted by the policy are all employed or volunteering individuals at the local hospital who might interact with high-risk communities like Asian immigrants.
Health Determinants
Many social, economic, and environmental aspects are to be mentioned as major health determinants leading to the policy. For example, people who suffer from other conditions that might impair their health, like malnutrition, alcohol dependence, and tobacco smoking, are at TB risk by 1-3% (WHO, 2021). Such diseases as diabetes (6%) and human immunodeficiency virus or HIV (19%) may also compromise the immune system (Duarte et al., 2018). Differences in socioeconomic statuses provoke health inequities, poor housing conditions, and limited education opportunities, affecting TB progress in populations.
Policy Importance
While tuberculosis spreads similarly to influenza or the common cold, it is not as infectious. To become affected, a person would need to interact with an infected individual for several hours each day. However, tuberculosis microbes can affect any region of the body, including the kidneys, spinal cord, and brain, despite the fact that bacteria typically targets the lungs (World Health Organization, 2021). However, tuberculosis can be lethal if it is not adequately treated. As a result, policies for the prevention and control of tuberculosis are still in use and are vital for the population.
The policy is especially critical for the targeted population, Asian immigrants who lack health insurance coverage in the United States, because of the offered historical examples and statistics. In 2020, the Sought-East Asian region had the largest number of newly reported TB cases (43% of all cases), proving the increased prevalence of the chosen population (WHO, 2021). CDC (2021) reports increased incidence among Asians as one the most common non-U.S.-born groups diagnosed with TB (48% cases). Still, TB may occur in every part of the world, and close contacts with TB-infected individuals and immigrants provoke new risks.
Policy and Disease Prevention
Adolescents and adults are the main carriers of tuberculosis infection and are most likely to acquire pulmonary tuberculosis. Such age ranges have been identified as the main focus sample population for the creation of innovative and highly efficient tuberculosis vaccinations (Scriba et al., 2020). The fastest method for safeguarding all age ranges from tuberculosis is to avoid the spread among adults and teenagers. As a result, a policy that promotes disease prevention and control is vital.
The TST policy promotes TB prevention and control among Asian immigrants. The idea of the test is not complex: a reaction to a single injection of tuberculin into the skin should be checked within 48-72 hours (Duthie & Reed, 2021). It does not require additional preparations like fasting or screening for other diseases, except HIV. This test is one of the least expensive options for the population, with clear and practical advantages for being used in various conditions and programs (Duthie & Reed, 2021). The policy will promote tuberculosis prevention among the given community by educating them on the possible consequences of the infection. Among the resources that can aid the situation can be posters with information that involves the methods for disease prevention and treatment.
Asian immigrants are properly instructed during the test and have enough information. In case of a positive skin test, the distribution of TB disease must be examined among the regular contacts of the patient. Therefore, the policy positively and equally addresses disease distribution and health determinants.
Disease Prevention Strategies
Public health professionals might pay attention to other prevention and control strategies for TB-affected populations. If larger communities need education about TB, its signs, and treatment, they can address local hospitals or free clinics and ask questions. The fundamental principles include contact tracing, vaccine development, and case detection (CDC, 2021). Other simple but effective steps are based on sufficient education about the importance of washing hands, choosing healthy lifestyles to improve the immune system, avoiding harmful habits, and managing the environment. TB is curable and preventable, and if people are aware of regular checkups and cooperation with healthcare practitioners, they can protect their health and avoid TB complications.
Conclusion
Implementing a public health policy is not an easy step as it requires specific research, time, and attention to the epidemiological details. In this case, older Asian immigrants are chosen as the primary targeted population because of increased TB ratings and the impossibility to track of individuals of this group in the United States. Race and age factors are as critical as the geographical location of individuals. The TST policy is a good solution for the hospital staff who have to cooperate with high-risk populations. Although TB is curable, it is more important to focus on its prevention.
Reference List
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021) ‘Report tuberculosis in the Untied States, 2020’.
Deutsch-Feldman, M., et al. (2021) ‘Tuberculosis – United States, 2020’.
Duarte, R., et al. (2018) ‘Tuberculosis, social determinants and co-morbidities (including HIV)’.
Duthie, M. S., & Reed, S. G. (2021) ‘Skin tests for the detection of Mycobacterial infections: achievements, current perspectives, and implications for other diseases’.
Scriba, T. J., Netea, M. G., and Ginsberg, A. M. (2020) ‘Key recent advances in TB vaccine development and understanding of protective immune responses against Mycobacterium tuberculosis’.
World Health Organization. (2021) ‘Tuberculosis’.