Tuberculosis Treatment and Control among Migrant Workers at Samut Sakhon Hospital-การรักษาและควบคุมวัณโรคในแรงงานข้ามชาติ โรงพยาบาลสมุทรสาคร

Abstract

         The objective of this research was to study the situation of tuberculosis treatment outcomes and control in migrant workers. 

         A 3-year retrospective study; starting from 1 October 2004 until 31 July 2007, was conducted to obtain data from tuberculosis records and tuberculosis patients.  Medical staff, patients, employers, public health volunteers, and non-profit organization staff were interviewed to find out the problems ralated to medical treatment.

         Results show that the 310 patients were in labour force and work in factories.  There were 40.2 percent of new positive sputum patients.  The outcome of treatment showed that there were 77.7 percent of sputum conversion rate, and 72.7 percent of success rate which tended to increase.         Having health insurance and sputum conversion at the end of intensive treatment were statistically affecting the treatment outcome whereas 19.8 percent of patients in infective stage were reported default.

       The main obstacles of treatment were inaccessibility during working hours, lack of communication skill, and uncooperative employers.  Treatment records were incomplete due to legal barrier and labour turnover.  Successs in tuberculosis control can be achieved only with active follow-up, strong co-operation with entrepreneurs and networking among irregular migrant workers.

Key words:  migrant workers, pulmonary tuberculosis, treatment outcome