Chest
Original ResearchChest InfectionsRisk Factors for and Outcomes of Detention of Patients With TB in New York City: An Update: 2002-2009
Section snippets
Detention Policy
Patients with suspected or proven active pulmonary TB and either prior nonadherence or who overtly decline to protect the public may be subject to regulatory action. Before regulatory action, patients are counseled in their language about TB, how it is transmitted and treated, and how to protect the public and themselves. Criteria for regulatory action include7 sputum culture positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis during the past year3; no evidence of treatment completion8 history and/or risk
Results
Characteristics of 79 patients detained for TB from January 1, 2002, through December 31, 2009, were compared with 70 time-matched control subjects undergoing outpatient DOT treatment of TB at Bellevue Hospital Center (Table 1). The mean age of detainees was 42 years (range, 18-69 years), and mean duration of hospitalization/detention was 4.7 months (range, 1-18 months). The majority of detainees were men (65%) and of minority race/ethnicity (47% black and 32% Hispanic). Substance abuse was
Discussion
Involuntary detention of patients with TB who are nonadherent to treatment is a last-resort option in NYC. We chose to review this experience as we approach 2 decades of its use in our city and since it has controversially been used to argue for involuntary detention policies to control extensively drug-resistant TB.11, 12, 13 We felt that a follow-up of how this policy has been used over time would inform this debate.
When controlling for other variables, age, positive acid-fast bacilli sputum
Acknowledgments
Author contributions: Dr Rogers had full access to all of the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.
Dr Pursnani: contributed to the study concept and design; data acquisition, analysis, and interpretation; statistical analysis; critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content; and served as principal author.
Mr Srivastava: contributed to data analysis, statistical analysis, and critical revision of the
References (0)
Cited by (11)
Loss to follow-up: Understand its determinants among tuberculosis patients, in Coimbra District (2005–2017)
2024, Indian Journal of TuberculosisHospital detention in tuberculosis control
2016, Gaceta SanitariaCovid-19, civil commitment, and ethics
2020, Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the LawProvider perspectives on liberty and harm in the treatment of persons with tuberculosis and mental illness
2019, International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung DiseaseMore Than Malnutrition: A Review of the Relationship between Food Insecurity and Tuberculosis
2019, Open Forum Infectious Diseases
A preliminary analysis of these data were presented at the American Thoracic Society International Conference, May 14-19, 2010, New Orleans, LA (Abstract 386).
Funding/Support: The authors have reported to CHEST that no funding was received for this study.
Reproduction of this article is prohibited without written permission from the American College of Chest Physicians. See online for more details.