Background: Treatment of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is essential for refugee patients that have been relocated to the United States to prevent progression to active infection.
Objective: To determine the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary team approach, embedded within a primary care clinic, to treatment of LTBI in newly resettled refugee patients compared to a local health department.
Methods: This was a single-center, retrospective chart review of newly resettled refugee patients 18-89 years old with diagnosis of LTBI. The primary objective was completion rate of LTBI therapy within one year of resettlement. Secondary objectives were incidence of adverse events, regimen switches, and adherence rate.
Results: A total of 58 patients were included in the study; 14 individuals through the multidisciplinary clinic and 44 individuals with the local health department. Completion of therapy within 1 year of resettlement was seen in 71.4% (n=10) of patients in the multidisciplinary clinic compared to 72.7% (n= 32) at the health department. There were 7 patients who underwent a regimen switch, all of which were in the health department arm. Adverse effects occurred in 14.2% of patients in the multidisciplinary clinic and 15.9% of patients in the health department arm. Treatment adherence was 98.6% in the multidisciplinary clinic and 90.5% in the local health department arm.
Conclusion: Use of a multidisciplinary team was successful in completion of LTBI treatment in refugee patients, helping to alleviate barriers to treatment completion by ensuring adherence and close follow-up.
Keywords: LTBI; disease control; public health; refugee.
Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.