Demographic Control Measure Implications of Tuberculosis Infection for Migrant Workers across Taiwan Regions
Journal
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Journal Volume
19
Journal Issue
16
Date Issued
2022-08-01
Author(s)
Chen, Szu Chieh
Wang, Tzu Yun
Tsai, Hsin Chieh
Chen, Chi Yun
Lu, Tien Hsuan
Lin, Yi Jun
You, Shu Han
Yang, Ying Fei
Abstract
A sharp increase in migrant workers has raised concerns for TB epidemics, yet optimal TB control strategies remain unclear in Taiwan regions. This study assessed intervention efforts on reducing tuberculosis (TB) infection among migrant workers. We performed large-scale data analyses and used them to develop a control-based migrant worker-associated susceptible–latently infected–infectious–recovered (SLTR) model. We used the SLTR model to assess potential intervention strategies such as social distancing, early screening, and directly observed treatment, short-course (DOTS) for TB transmission among migrant workers and locals in three major hotspot cities from 2018 to 2023. We showed that social distancing was the best single strategy, while the best dual measure was social distancing coupled with early screening. However, the effectiveness of the triple strategy was marginally (1–3%) better than that of the dual measure. Our study provides a mechanistic framework to facilitate understanding of TB transmission dynamics between locals and migrant workers and to recommend better prevention strategies in anticipation of achieving WHO’s milestones by the next decade. Our work has implications for migrant worker-associated TB infection prevention on a global scale and provides a knowledge base for exploring how outcomes can be best implemented by alternative control measure approaches.
Subjects
control measures | migrant worker | modeling | transmission dynamics | tuberculosis
Publisher
MDPI
Type
journal article