"Coughing is a Signal, Screening is Protection"…Free Tuberculosis Screening for Seniors Aged 65 and Over

KDCA Reports Decrease in Domestic Tuberculosis Cases but Increase Among Elderly Population

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) urged seniors aged 65 and over to undergo tuberculosis screening if they experience symptoms such as coughing for more than two weeks after the Chuseok holiday.

According to the KDCA on the 12th, the number of tuberculosis patients in South Korea last year was 19,540 (38.2 per 100,000 population), a 4.1% decrease from 20,383 in 2022. However, the number of tuberculosis patients aged 65 and older was 11,309 (119.5 per 100,000), a 0.1% increase from 11,298 the previous year.

The proportion of elderly patients among all tuberculosis cases has also been rising annually, from 45.2% in 2018 to 51.0% in 2021, 55.4% in 2022, and 57.9% last year.

Ji Young-mi, director of the KDCA, stated, "Seniors have weakened immune systems, increasing their risk of developing tuberculosis, so it is important to undergo regular tuberculosis screenings. If symptoms such as coughing, chest pain, or loss of appetite persist for more than two weeks after the Chuseok holiday, it is essential to get tested."

Public health centers offer free tuberculosis screenings once a year for those aged 65 and older until local government budgets are exhausted. To receive the free screening, individuals should contact their local public health center in advance and bring identification when visiting. The health center conducts chest X-ray examinations, and if tuberculosis infection is suspected, confirmatory tests (sputum tests) are performed.

The KDCA plans to intensively promote the message "Cough = Signal, Screening = Protection" starting next month to encourage early detection of tuberculosis among the elderly through the annual free tuberculosis screening for those aged 65 and older conducted at public health centers.