To investigate the response rate for family examination and the morbidity of family members, we reviewed the medical records of 1,525 tuberculosis patients at health center of Sunsan county in Kyungpook province from January 1981 to December
1990.
The response rate for family examination in the first period(1981 - 1985) was 20.0%, and that in the second period(1986 - 1990) was 78.8%. The response rate for family examination was rapidly increased with year. The kinship between the
tuberculosis
patients and examinees was very closely related with the response rate of family examination.
The radiological finding was closely related with rate for family examination was 63.0% in the children of patients, 28.9% in wives or husbands of patients, 28.8% in other relatives and 19.9% the morbidity rate of family examinees. The severe the
radiological finding, the higher the tuberculosis morbidity rate of family examinees.
He prevalent rates of family examinees were 6.2% in parents, 4.3% in wives or husbands, 1.1% in children, and 1.5% in other relatives of parents.
The results of this study suggest that the response rate for family examination should be increased especially for the old people, such as parents of tuberculosis patients.
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