Tuberculosis Screening in a Novel Substance Abuse Treatment Center in Malaysia: Implications for a Comprehensive Approach for Integrated Care

Overview

Journal J Subst Abuse Treat

Specialty Psychiatry

Date 2013 Oct 1

PMID 24074846

Citations 10

Authors

Haider Abdulrazzaq Abed Al-Darraji

Kee Cheong Wong

David Gan Eng Yeow

Jeannia Jiani Fu

Kelsey Loeliger

Christopher Paiji

Adeeba Kamarulzaman

Frederick L Altice

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

People who use drugs (PWUD) represent a key high risk group for tuberculosis (TB). The prevalence of both latent TB infection (LTBI) and active disease in drug treatment centers in Malaysia is unknown. A cross-sectional convenience survey was conducted to assess the prevalence and correlates of LTBI among attendees at a recently created voluntary drug treatment center using a standardized questionnaire and tuberculin skin testing (TST). Participants (N=196) were mostly men (95%), under 40 (median age=36 years) and reported heroin use immediately before treatment entry (75%). Positive TST prevalence was 86.7%. Nine (4.6%) participants were HIV-infected. Previous arrest/incarcerations (AOR=1.1 for every entry, p<0.05) and not being HIV-infected (AOR=6.04, p=0.03) were significantly associated with TST positivity. There is an urgent need to establish TB screening and treatment programs in substance abuse treatment centers and to tailor service delivery to the complex treatment needs of patients with multiple medical and psychiatric co-morbidities.

Citing Articles

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of High-Risk Groups Tuberculosis Screening in Malaysia.

Mohd Hassan N, Razali A, Shahari M, Mohd Nor Sham Kunusagaran M, Halili J, Zaimi N Front Public Health. 2021; 9:699735.

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TB-diabetes co-morbidity in Ghana: The importance of Mycobacterium africanum infection.

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Assessment of an Innovative Voluntary Substance Abuse Treatment Program Designed to Replace Compulsory Drug Detention Centers in Malaysia.

Khan F, Krishnan A, Ghani M, Wickersham J, Fu J, Lim S Subst Use Misuse. 2017; 53(2):249-259.

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Confronting the HIV, Tuberculosis, Addiction, and Incarceration Syndemic in Southeast Asia: Lessons Learned from Malaysia.

Culbert G, Pillai V, Bick J, Al-Darraji H, Wickersham J, Wegman M J Neuroimmune Pharmacol. 2016; 11(3):446-55.

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Public health and international drug policy.

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