Tuberc Respir Dis.  1979 Sep;26(3):25-31. 10.4046/trd.1979.26.3.25.

A Study on the Comparison of Case-finding Methods in Korea with Cost Analysis

• KMID: 2528899
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4046/trd.1979.26.3.25

Abstract

This study was conducted for the purpose to know which case-finding methods are actually more effective and economical in Korea_ For this w~ reviewed the data of budgets of government and voluntary agency (The Korean National Tuberculosis Association) for tuberculosis control in 1977, and monthly performance reports from 11 cities/ provinces in the same year. Following results were obtained: 1.Discovery rate by means of sputum examination was 3.4 % on an average. And it was 6.3% Amnong, self-presenters at health center and 2.6% by home-visiting. 2. Discovery rate of roentgnologically tuberculous suspects was 3.8 %. While it was 10.4% by X-ray examination of self-presenters exhibiting symptoms, it was only 0.3% by mass X - ray examínation for students. Specially in bacteriologically confirmed tuberculous case finding, it shlowed striking contrast between the former and latter, 1. 5% and 0.02 %. lt was also only 0.5% on an average. 3. Sputum case-finding expenditure of a bacteriologically confirmed case was ￦9,352 including ￦ 14, 413， by home-visiting and ￦ 1,987 for self -presenters. 4. X- ray case-finding expenditure of a bacteriologiaclly confirmed case was ￦38, 544， including ￦10,318 fór the self -presenters at health center and ￦ 806, 877 by mass X-ray examination for students. 5. Above all things considered, it is necessary our efforts should be concentrated on strengthening workers' activities in aspects of quantity and quality, and meaningless mass X-ray might be abandoned if possible and limited to spcial group, i. e. family-contacts. weaklings among students , labors under the special working condition which might be related with an attack 0 f a tuberculosis etc.