Incidence of Tuberculosis Among Labor Migrants in the Kaluga Region

Abstract

Over the past 20 years, there has been a steady decline in the incidence of tuberculosis (TB) among resident population in Russia. However, the growth in the number of labor migrants in recent years in Russia increases the risk of the spread of tuberculosis in Russia, imported by migrants from countries with high TB prevalence. Further development of such situation may jeopardize achievement of the TB Control Program targets in the Russian regions with the highest inflow of labor migrants. Purpose: to analyze incidence of tuberculosis among labor migrants in the Kaluga region in dynamics for the period from 2010 to 2019. Material and methods: information from the Rosstat statistical surveillance forms No. 8 and No. 33, Rosstat data on the average annual population of the Kaluga region for 2001-2020, data from the Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the Kaluga region on the number of labor migrants in 2017-2019. Pearson’s chi-square test (χ2) was used for comparative analysis. Results: The decline rate in the overall TB incidence in the Kaluga region over the past decade (2010-2019) equaled to 47%, which is 16.4% lower compared to the rate in the resident population of 56.2%. A slowdown in the decline in the overall TB incidence, which is the key indicator of the TB control program, may compromise achievement of the Program targets in the Kaluga region. A comparative analysis of TB incidence among resident population and labor migrants showed higher values among labor migrants compared to resident population: 7.2-fold in 2017, 4.9-fold in 2018 and 7.4-fold in 2019 (p<0.0000001). Conclusion. A significantly higher TB incidence among labor migrants poses a serious threat to its spread in resident population of the region. To reduce TB incidence among labor migrants, it is necessary to introduce changes into regulatory documents to ensure treatment of labor migrants diagnosed with TB in Russia at TB health facilities.