Tuberculosis (TB) incidence rates remain significantly higher among racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S.-born population, according to a study led by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The findings, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine on April 2, 2024, highlight the need for targeted interventions to address these persistent health disparities.
Yunfei Li, Mathilda Regan, Nicolas Menzies, and Nicole Swartwood from the Department of Global Health and Population analyzed approximately 32,000 TB cases reported among the U.S.-born population between 2011 and 2021. They found that individuals identifying as American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black, or Hispanic had a 14 times higher TB incidence compared to those identifying as white. The disparities were even more pronounced among women from racial and ethnic minority groups, with TB incidence rates more than four times higher than their white counterparts.
The researchers estimated that addressing these disparities could lead to a reduction of over 60% in TB incidence among the U.S.-born population. They emphasized the importance of accessible TB prevention tools, diagnostics, and treatment in achieving health equity goals.
“Given the substantial excess burden of TB among racial/ethnic minority populations, addressing these disparities in TB incidence is essential,” the authors wrote. The study underscores the need for targeted public health interventions and policies to reduce the disproportionate impact of TB on racial and ethnic minorities in the United States.
See “Racial, ethnic disparities persist in U.S. tuberculosis cases” (April 20, 2024)
