Margineanu, Ioana; Rustage, Kieran; Noori, Teymur; Zenner, Dominik; Greenaway, Christina; Pareek, Manish; Akkerman, Onno; Hayward, Sally; Friedland, Jon S; Goletti, Delia; +3 more... Stienstra, Ymkje; Hargreaves, Sally; ESGITM/ESGMYC Study Groups; (2022) Country-specific approaches to latent tuberculosis screening targeting migrants in EU/EEA* countries: A survey of national experts, September 2019 to February 2020. Eurosurveillance, 27 (12). ISSN 1025-496X DOI: https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2022.27.12.2002070
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Abstract
BackgroundMigrants in low tuberculosis (TB) incidence countries in the European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA) are an at-risk group for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and are increasingly included in LTBI screening programmes.AimTo investigate current approaches and implement LTBI screening in recently arrived migrants in the EU/EEA and Switzerland.MethodsAt least one TB expert working at a national level from the EU/EEA and one TB expert from Switzerland completed an electronic questionnaire. We used descriptive analyses to calculate percentages, and framework analysis to synthesise free-text responses.ResultsExperts from 32 countries were invited to participate (30 countries responded): 15 experts reported an LTBI screening programme targeting migrants in their country; five reported plans to implement one in the near future; and 10 reported having no programme. LTBI screening was predominantly for asylum seekers (n = 12) and refugees (n = 11). Twelve countries use 'country of origin' as the main eligibility criteria. The countries took similar approaches to diagnosis and treatment but different approaches to follow-up. Six experts reported that drop-out rates in migrants were higher compared with non-migrant groups. Most of the experts (n = 22) called for a renewed focus on expanding efforts to screen for LTBI in migrants arriving in low-incidence countries.ConclusionWe found a range of approaches to LTBI screening of migrants in the EU/EEA and Switzerland. Findings suggest a renewed focus is needed to expand and strengthen efforts to meaningfully include migrants in these programmes, in order to meet regional and global elimination targets for TB.
Item Type | Article |
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Faculty and Department | Faculty of Public Health and Policy > Public Health, Environments and Society |
PubMed ID | 35332865 |
Elements ID | 176070 |
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Filename: Margineanu_et al_2022_Country-specific approaches to latent tuberculosis screening targeting.pdf
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