Coverage of clinic-based TB screening in South Africa may be low in key risk groups

• Published in: Public health action Vol. 6; no. 1; pp. 19 - 21
• Main Authors: McCreesh, N., Faghmous, I., Looker, C., Dodd, P. J., Plumb, I. D., Shanaube, K., Muyoyeta, M., Godfrey-Faussett, P., Ayles, H., White, R. G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: France International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease 21-03-2016
• Subjects: Primary Health Care; Screening; Short Communication; South Africa; Tuberculosis; South Africa; primary health care; screening; tuberculosis
• ISSN: 2220-8372; 2220-8372
• DOI: 10.5588/pha.15.0064

The South African Ministry of Health has proposed screening all clinic attendees for tuberculosis (TB). Amongst other factors, male sex and bar attendance are associated with higher TB risk. We show that 45% of adults surveyed in Western Cape attended a clinic within 6 months, and therefore
potentially a relatively high proportion of the population could be reached through clinic-based screening. However, fewer than 20% of all men aged 18-25 years, or men aged 26-45 who attend bars, attended a clinic. The population-level impact of clinic-based screening may be reduced
by low coverage among key risk groups.