ArticlePloS one2021
Case finding of tuberculosis among mining communities in Ghana.
Article in PloS one, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 28 citations in OpenAlex.
- Exploring prioritization of wellbeing and health impacts for mining communities during the mining life cycle within the sub-Saharan Africa context: a systematic review.BMC public health · 2025Pooled it
- Household structures and exposure networks among people with multidrug-resistant TB in Namibia.IJTLD open · 2026Article
- Active TB case finding in returnee coalminers and their home district communities in Pakistan.Public health action · 2025Article
- Geospatial Distribution of Tuberculosis Incidence and Determinants of Tuberculosis Treatment Outcomes in Nzema East Municipality, Ghana.Public health challenges · 2025Article
- Whole-genome sequencing for analyzing the transmission characteristics of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Ganzhou, China.BMC infectious diseases · 2025Article
- Sex-related absolute inequalities in tuberculosis incidence in 47 countries in Africa.BMC medicine · 2025Article
- Feasibility of ending tuberculosis in Shangrao City through active intervention measures: a mathematical study.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
- Prevalence and determinants of evidence of silicosis and impaired lung function among small scale tanzanite miners and the peri-mining community in northern Tanzania.PLOS global public health · 2024Article
- Burden of tuberculosis among vulnerable populations worldwide: an overview of systematic reviews.The Lancet. Infectious diseases · 2023Review
- Article
- Silicosis, tuberculosis and silica exposure among artisanal and small-scale miners: A systematic review and modelling paper.PLOS global public health · 2023Article
- The Triple Burden of Tuberculosis, Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Silicosis among Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners in Zimbabwe.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Data-driven identification of communities with high levels of tuberculosis infection in the Democratic Republic of Congo.Scientific reports · 2022Article
- Increasing TB/HIV Case Notification through an Active Case-Finding Approach among Rural and Mining Communities in Northwest Tanzania.Journal of tropical medicine · 2022Article
- Tuberculosis and Silicosis Burden in Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Miners in a Large Occupational Health Outreach Programme in Zimbabwe.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
- Factors Affecting Motivation among Key Populations to Engage with Tuberculosis Screening and Testing Services in Northwest Tanzania: A Mixed-Methods Analysis.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundData on active TB case finding activities among artisanal gold mining communities (AMC) is limited. The study assessed the yield of TB cases from the TB screening activities among AMC in Ghana, the factors associated with TB in these communities and the correlation between the screening methods and a diagnosis of TB.
methodsWe conducted secondary data analyses of NTP program data collected from TB case finding activities using symptom screening and mobile X-ray implemented in hard to reach AMC. Yield of TB cases, number needed to screen (NNS) and the number needed to test (NNT) to detect a TB case were assessed and logistic regression were conducted to assess factors associated with TB. The performance of screening methods chest X-ray and symptoms in the detection of TB cases was also evaluated.
resultsIn total 10,441 people from 78 communities in 24 districts were screened, 55% were female and 60% (6,296) were in the aged 25 to 54 years. Ninety-five TB cases were identified, 910 TB cases per 100,000 population screened; 5.6% of the TB cases were rifampicin resistant. Being male (aOR 5.96, 95% CI 3.25-10.92, P < 0.001), a miner (aOR 2.70, 95% CI 1.47-4.96, P = 0.001) and age group 35 to 54 years (aOR 2.27, 95% CI 1.35-3.84, P = 0.002) were risk factors for TB. NNS and NNT were 110 and 24 respectively.; Cough of any duration had the strongest association with X-ray suggestive of TB with a correlation coefficient of 0.48. Cough was most sensitive for a diagnosis of TB; sensitivity of 86.3% (95% CI 79.4-93.2) followed by X-ray, sensitivity 81.1% (95% CI 71.7-88.4). The specificities of the symptoms and X-rays ranged from 80.2% (cough) to 97.3% (sputum).
conclusionThe high risk of TB in the artisanal mining communities and in miners in this study reinforces the need to target these populations with outreach programs particularly in hard to reach areas. The diagnostic value of cough highlights the usefulness of symptom screening in this population that may be harnessed even in the absence of X-ray to identify those suspected to have TB for further evaluation.
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