TRENDS AND SOME RISK FACTORS FOR INCIDENCE OF TUBERCULOSIS IN ILAM PROVINCE (WESTERN IRAN)

Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) is considered a socio-medical problem from which more than one-third of the world’s population suffer. Poverty, immune system suppressive diseases and AIDS are important factors in incidence of TB. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate epidemiology of TB in Ilam province (western Iran) during 2003-7. Materials & Methods: Data was collected using a checklist from patients' documents available at Ilam Health Centers. Epi-info and SPSS statistical software was used for all the analysis. Findings: Prevalence of TB disease in Ilam province, in years terminated to 2007 had an increasing significant trend (p<0.04). Altogether, 213 health records with TB diagnosis were verified in which 117 cases (54.5%) were women of whom the most infected were over 65 year. Altogether, 80.8 percent (172 cases) were infected by pulmonary TB and 19.2 percent (41 cases) by non pulmonary TB respectively. The women/men ratio affected with non-pulmonary TB was 2:1. (OR=2.1, 95% CI, 1.56-3.85).TB relapse in women was 2.5 times higher than men (p=0.01). Discussion & Conclusion: According to increasing yearly trend and increase of prevalence and rate of relapse in women compared to that of the men and among geriatrics in comparison with other age groups, effective health education programs and screening of TB disease, special attention to women and geriatrics are recommended.