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 2014-2018 was as follows: 44% occurred in persons of Hispanic ethnicity, 24% in Asians, 11% in Whites, 10% in Blacks/African Americans, 7% in Native Hawaiians/Other Pacific Islanders, and 4% in American Indian/Alaskan Natives. Over the past five years in Utah, more than 95% 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 2018 was as follows: 35% occurred in Asians; 29% in persons of Hispanic ethnicity; 20% in Blacks/African Americans; 12% in Whites; 2% in persons of multiple or unknown races; and 1% each in American Indians/Alaskan Natives and in Native Hawaiians/Other Pacific Islanders. (CDC. ''Tuberculosis - United States, 2018'', 2019). In the years 2014-2018, 78% of the persons diagnosed with TB in Utah were non-US-born. In 2018, 70% of the national case total of persons diagnosed with TB were non-US-born. (CDC. ''Tuberculosis - United States, 2018'', 2019). These numbers show the importance of effectively screening and treating individuals from high TB prevalence areas.