Abstract:

Objective To analyze the tuberculosis (TB) detection among students in Xidian University from 2006 to 2017, and to evaluate the effect of prevention and treatment.Methods The data on pulmonary TB patients registered in the school from 2006 to 2017 were collected. Descriptive epidemiological methods were used to analyze the incidence, detection methods and detection rates during the 12 years.Results Seeking health care with symptoms was the most common way of TB detection, accounting for 52.29% (137/262), followed by medical examinations for new students with 29.77% (78/262). The TB incidence from 2006 to 2017 respectively were 86.44/100000 (22/25452), 97.94/100000 (28/28590), 42.38/100000 (12/28316), 34.75/100000 (10/28776), 48.38/100000 (14/28935), 33.87/100000 (10/29527), 63.71/100000 (19/29821), 60.43/100000 (18/29787), 43.23/100000 (13/30070), 30.21/100000 (10/33102), 43.12/100000 (13/30146), and 49.27/100000 (15/30442), and the difference in TB incidence during the 12 years was statistically significant (χ ²=26.60, P=0.005), showing a decreasing trend ($\chi^{2}_{trend}$=7.15, P=0.008). The detection rates of medical examinations for new students from 2006 to 2017 respectively were 76.37/100000 (6/7857), 89.40/100000 (7/7830), 104.14/100000 (8/7682), 135.17/100000 (11/8138), 124.08//100000 (10/8059), 48.89/100000 (4/8182), 131.59/100000 (11/8359), 133.06/100000 (11/8267), 48.13/100000 (4/8310), 48.95/100000 (4/8171), 0.00/100000 (0/8452), and 23.13/100000 (2/8647). There was a statistically significant difference in the TB detection rate of medical examinations for new students (χ ²=24.83, P=0.010), and the incidence was decreasing ($\chi^{2}_{trend}$=8.29, P=0.004). The TB detection rates by seeking health care with symptoms from 2006 to 2017 respectively were 185.51/100000 (19/10242), 173.84/100000 (20/11505), 51.81/100000 (6/11580), 69.91/100000 (8/11443), 111.65/100000 (13/11644), 68.13/100000 (8/11742), 110.73/100000 (14/12643), 102.94/100000 (13/12629), 72.75/100000 (11/15120), 85.46/100000 (9/10531), 78.91/100000 (9/11406), and 57.82/100000 (7/12106). There was a statistically significant difference in the TB detection rate by seeking health care with symptoms (χ ²=23.73, P=0.014), which showed a decreasing trend ($\chi^{2}_{trend}$=7.86, P=0.005). The detection rates by screening for close contacts with TB from 2006 to 2017 respectively were 0.00/100000 (0/854), 690.85/100000 (4/579), 235.29/100000 (5/2125), 86.06/100000 (1/1162), 0.00/100000 (0/515), 66.53/100000 (1/1503), 591.72/100000 (5/845), 217.27/100000 (4/1841), 53.08/100000 (1/1884), 108.34/100000 (1/923), 286.53/100000 (3/1047), and 852.62/100000 (7/821). The detection rate by screening for close contacts with TB was statistically different (χ ²=25.33, P=0.001), but there was no statistical difference according to the trend test ($\chi^{2}_{trend}$=1.94, P=0.171). The detection rates of graduates’ medical exa-minations from 2006 to 2017 respectively were 61.00/100000 (3/4910), 82.36/100000 (4/4857), 19.34/100000 (1/5171), 22.42/100000 (1/4460), 35.79/100000 (1/2794), 30.70/100000 (1/3257), 0.00/100000 (0/3805), 25.71/100000 (1/3889), 29.49/100000 (1/3391), 0.00/100000 (0/3602), 28.93/100000 (1/3457), and 30.18/100000 (1/3313). There was no statistical difference in the detection rate of graduates’ medical examinations (χ ²=6.69, P=0.805) and no statistical difference according to the trend test ($\chi^{2}_{trend}$=2.53, P=0.115).Conclusion The TB incidence in the university during the past 12 years was declining, but there were still fluctuations. Thus, the TB prevention and control work still need to be strengthened. The combination of medical examination for new students and graduates, seeking health care with symptoms, and screening for close contacts with TB is an important means for the early detection of TB patients to prevent the spread of the disease.

Key words: Tuberculosis, pulmonary, Universities, Student health services, Multiphasic screening, Incidence, Data interpretation, statistical