The Jeonbuk Jeongeup City Health Center announced on the 5th that it will conduct outreach tuberculosis screenings for seniors aged 65 and older.
Last year, they visited 115 locations such as village halls and day care centers, screening 2,379 individuals, and made efforts to block tuberculosis transmission by conducting additional tests and follow-up management for those with suspicious findings.
Jeongeup City Health Center will conduct outreach tuberculosis screening for seniors aged 65 and over. [Photo by Jeongeup City]
The program provided screening opportunities to seniors in blind spots such as those with mobility difficulties and those living alone. Since results could be confirmed on-site immediately, it received great response as seniors could undergo testing quickly and conveniently without multiple visits.
This year, starting this month, tuberculosis screenings and infectious disease prevention education will be conducted by visiting three locations including Hwajeong Senior Center in Sanwoe-myeon, and two home welfare facilities.
The screenings will be carried out by visiting facilities equipped with mobile equipment in cooperation with the Jeonbuk branch of the Korean Tuberculosis Association.
After chest X-ray imaging, real-time remote readings will be performed, and for those with suspicious findings, additional sputum tests will be conducted to diagnose tuberculosis. The screening is completely free of charge.
Tuberculosis remains the disease with the highest prevalence and the third highest mortality rate among OECD countries. In particular, the proportion of tuberculosis patients aged 65 and older is steadily increasing.
When infected with tuberculosis, symptoms such as cough lasting more than two weeks, fever, night sweats, and weight loss appear. Since tuberculosis bacteria spread through the air, early diagnosis and treatment are important.
Son Hee-kyung, head of the health center, said, “We strongly encourage seniors aged 65 and older, who have a high incidence of tuberculosis, to actively participate in annual tuberculosis screenings regardless of symptom presence.”
Jeongeup = Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Kim Jae-gil baekok@asiae.co.kr
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
