Relevant Population Characteristics for Tuberculosis (TB) Cases

Relevant Population Characteristics

The racial/ethnic distribution of tuberculosis (TB) in Utah for the five-year period of 2015-2019 was as follows: 44% occurred in persons of Hispanic ethnicity, 23% in Asians, 12% in Whites, 9% in Blacks/African Americans, 8% in Native Hawaiians/Other Pacific Islanders, and 4% in American Indian/Alaskan Natives. Over the past five years in Utah, more than 97% of Black/African American and Asian persons with TB were non-US-born. The racial/ethnic distribution of TB morbidity for the United States in 2019 was as follows: 35% occurred in Asians; 30% in persons of Hispanic ethnicity; 19% in Blacks/African Americans; 11% in Whites; 2% in persons of multiple or unknown races; 2% in American Indians/Alaskan Natives; and 1% in Native Hawaiians/Other Pacific Islanders. (CDC. ''Tuberculosis - United States, 2019'', 2020). In the years 2015-2019, 73% of the persons diagnosed with TB in Utah were non-US-born. In 2019, 71% of the national case total of persons diagnosed with TB were non-US-born. (CDC. ''Tuberculosis - United States, 2019'', 2020). These numbers show the importance of effectively screening and treating individuals from high TB prevalence areas.