Alarmingly High Death Rate From Tuberculosis In Homeless

One in five homeless people with tuberculosis die within a year of their diagnosis, according to a study led by St. Michael's Hospital's Dr. Kamran Khan. And that number remains unchanged over the last decade despite recommendations calling for greater improvements in prevention and control of tuberculosis in homeless shelters.

A provincial coroner's inquest into the death of Joseph Teigesser, a homeless man who died of tuberculosis in Toronto in 2001, made 13 formal recommendations. These included provincial funding for a centralized clinic system to provide specialized care for those with tuberculosis in Ontario and a review and improvement of shelter ventilation systems. However, the work surrounding these two key recommendations has fallen short, the researchers say in the study.

"The treatment of tuberculosis is often complicated by inadequate housing, substance dependence, language barriers, mental health problems, not to mention the enormous stigma that comes with this disease," Khan says. "To effectively control tuberculosis, centres with specialized expertise and resources are needed to address these complex issues."

Read the full study here: Active Tuberculosis among Homeless Persons, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 1998–2007.

Publication Date: 
2011
Location: 
Toronto, ON, Canada