Jeongeup Offers Free Tuberculosis Screening for Seniors Aged 65 and Over

"Visiting Tuberculosis Screening" Program Also Underway

Jeongeup City Public Health Center in North Jeolla Province conducts free tuberculosis screening once a year throughout the year for seniors aged 65 and older.

Jeongeup City Public Health Center conducts free tuberculosis screening once a year throughout the year for seniors aged 65 and older. Provided by Jeongeup City

According to the health center on October 24, this tuberculosis screening program was launched to prevent and detect tuberculosis early among the elderly, as the incidence of the disease is rapidly increasing in this age group. To accommodate seniors with mobility difficulties, the center is also running a "Visiting Tuberculosis Screening" program in cooperation with the Korean National Tuberculosis Association.

Recent statistics show that the proportion of tuberculosis patients aged 65 and older has steadily increased from 48.5% in 2020 to 58.7% in 2024. Tuberculosis is a second-class notifiable infectious disease characterized by symptoms such as cough and sputum lasting for more than two weeks. However, because symptoms are often minimal in the early stages, regular screening is especially important for early detection.

The "Visiting Tuberculosis Screening" program uses mobile screening equipment to visit local senior welfare centers and senior citizen centers. As of last month, screenings had been completed for over 1,700 people at 94 institutions.

From October 27 to 31, additional screenings will be conducted at 11 institutions, including the Bukpung Senior Citizen Center in Yeongwon-myeon. If abnormalities are detected on chest X-rays, sputum tests will also be performed.

Son Heekyung, Director of the Public Health Center, stated, "Seniors have weakened immune systems, which increases their risk of developing tuberculosis. Because symptoms are often not obvious, diagnosis is frequently delayed. Especially during the change of seasons, regular tuberculosis screening is essential to protect the health of both seniors and their families."

In addition to the visiting screening program, any resident aged 65 or older can receive free tuberculosis screening once a year by bringing identification to the Chronic Disease Management Office on the first floor of the health center.