Epidemiological characteristics and risk factors of tuberculosis in women in military service

Abstract

The aim of the research is comparative analysis of epidemiological characteristics and risk factors in the female service persons and their family members. Materials and methods. Monitoring data of tuberculosis among the service persons of the RF Armed Forces during the last 20 years and 100 medical histories of female patients, who received treatment in specialized military medical organizations in the period of 2012–2020 years have been analyzed. The patients were divided in two groups: the first group — 62 service women; the second group — 38 female family members of the service persons. The following aspects have been estimated: epidemiological and clinical characteristics of tuberculosis, the period of detection of the disease from the beginning of the military service, ways of the disease detection, the presence of risk factors, clinical manifestations and defects in the organization of anti-tuberculosis measures. Results. The incidence of tuberculosis in servicewomen was declining (as well as in the whole country) and amounted to 0.17 ‰ in 2020 year. The reduction of morbidity rate amounted to 60% in the period of 2012–2020. The planned fluorography has revealed 32.3% of infected patients in the first group and 36.8% — in the second group. Examination of patients with the symptoms suspicious of TB who sought medical care has revealed 54.8% of infected patients in the first group and 57.9% — in the second group. The risk factors of the TB incidence amounted to 27.4% in the first group and 23.7% — in the second group. Diagnostic defects occurred in 27.4% cases in group 1 and 34.2% in group 2. The violation of fluorography timing happened rather often. Conclusion. The rate of TB morbidity in female service persons has considerably decreased in the last 15 years. TB is mainly detected in servicewomen when the seek medical care due to symptoms similar to TB. Nearly the third part of TB infected servicewomen had risk factors. Diagnostic defects and dynamic monitoring defects occur with the same frequency among this population.