Presence and awareness of infectious disease among Chinese migrant workers

Int Q Community Health Educ. 2006;26(4):379-95. doi: 10.2190/IQ.26.4.f.

Abstract

This cross-sectional study set out to identify the health status and health beliefs and behaviors with regard to TB and HIV-AIDS among 407 rural male migrant workers in China. Surveyed workers' awareness level for AIDS transmission was 67.7% and for TB transmission 56.8%. These workers had high rates of acute illness in the previous month (depression 18.3%, physical injury 16.3%, dermatological ailment 9.6%, respiratory infection 9.4%). One or more of the four symptoms of TB were found in 22.3% of the workers. Prevalent TB symptoms were associated with previously having had TB (chi-square = 69.98, p = .000) and having previously lived with a TB patient (F = 13.99, p = .000). The relative risk for having had TB if the worker had lived with someone with TB was 5.69 (chi-square 7.65, p = .006). Screening for TB symptoms, a history of having lived with someone with TB, or having previously had TB, has the potential to serve as a cost-effective and easy first-line TB screening among large mobile populations.

Publication types

  • Historical Article
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • China / epidemiology
  • Communicable Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Communicable Diseases / history
  • Communicable Diseases / transmission
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • HIV Infections / epidemiology
  • HIV Infections / transmission
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice*
  • Health Status
  • Health Surveys
  • History, 20th Century
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Rural Population
  • Transients and Migrants*
  • Tuberculosis / epidemiology
  • Tuberculosis / transmission