Regions: North Slave Region
Tags: health, public health, tuberculosis
| Principal Investigator: | Schreiber, Yoko S (1) |
| Licence Number: | 14443 |
| Organization: | Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Ottawa |
| Licensed Year(s): |
2008
|
| Issued: | Dec 12, 2008 |
| Project Team: | Dr. Amy Hendricks (Co-Investigator, Dep't of Internal Medicine, Stanton Territorial Ho), Cheryl Case (Co-Investigator, Dep't of Health & Social Services, NWT) |
Objective(s): The purpose of this study is to determine the risk factors associated with the high rate of TB transmission and incidence leading to the 1997 TB outbreak.
Project Description: This license has been issued for the scientific research application #952. The purpose of this study is to determine the risk factors associated with the high rate of TB transmission and incidence leading to the 1997 TB outbreak. This study will examine issues with delay in diagnosis and contact tracing, as well as identifying environmental, behavioural and innate risk factors associated with the cases of active tuberculosis. The ultimate goal being to create a plan for improvement of TB control in the NWT. This study will look at the outbreak and try to identify common risk factors amongst all cases which aids in the prioritization and identification of further high-risk contacts, thus expediting screening for TB infection, treatment if necessary, and preventing further transmission. This study is based on a chart review, and therefore does not require any additional investigation, patient contact or procedures than what is being done as part of normal municipal and territorial public health measures. Data related to contact tracing, including tuberculin skin testing (TST), screening chest X-ray, treatment start date (if applicable) and type and circumstance of contact will be extracted from the NWT Public Health outbreak database. Each individual will be assigned a unique identification number such as to restrict using name and other identifying information to chart retrieval only (no electronic records available). Further information on clinical history, exam, laboratory markers, and social circumstances will be obtained by chart review from the local Public Health Office for all identified high-risk contacts. Number of contacts with active cases is also recorded. Ethnicity is not recorded. For all individuals who were classified as a high-risk contact because of sharing a room at the local shelter, duration of contact from overlapping lengths of stay at the shelter with the index case is recorded. No additional resources or equipment other than what are already in place for standard Public Health activities in Yellowknife will be used. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from January 1 to December 31, 2009 in various health agencies in Yellowknife.
