PP7 TUBERCULOSIS IN KUALA MUDA DISTRICT, KEDAH: PREVALENCE, SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTIC AND MORTALITY IN 2022 to 2024

Kai Quan Lee¹, Sunita Devi²

^1,2 Department of Medicine, Hospital Sultan Abdul Halim, Kedah, Malaysia

Introduction
Tuberculosis (TB) is a communicable disease that presents a significant public health issue despite efforts in disease control and prevention. Globally, it is one of the leading causes of death from a single infectious agent.

Objectives
The study aimed to describe the prevalence, sociodemographic characteristics, and TB mortality in Kuala Muda district, Kedah, Malaysia.

Methodology
All confirmed TB cases from 2022 to 2024 registered in Kuala Muda district under MyTB online system were included and analyzed.

Results
A total of 802 TB cases were divided into 534 (66.58%) male patients and 268 (33.41%) female patients. Among all TB patients, 793 (98.8%) are aged >15 years and 772 (96.26%) are Malaysian. Health care workers accounted for 13 (1.62%) reported TB patients. TB patients with comorbidity of Diabetes Mellitus numbered 238 (30.72%), and those who were HIV positive total 31 (3.96%). Government hospitals reported the highest rate of diagnosis at 543 (67.71%) compared to health care clinics and private facilities. A total of 145 (18.07%) TB patients died before completing their treatment, with the highest death rate reported in 2023 numbered 55 (38%) and the lowest in 2024 numbered 49 (33.79%). Analysis indicated that TB mortality rate was highest among patients aged 65 years and above 40 (27.58%), patient with Diabetes mellitus 29 (19.72%), smoker 77 (20.37%), smear negative TB cases 45 (24.46%), relapse cases 8 (18.60%) and far advanced changes on chest X-ray during diagnosis 25 (42.37%). Patients with higher education had the lowest mortality rate of 0.12%.

Conclusion
Tuberculosis mortality is higher among patients aged 65 years or older, those with smear-negative tuberculosis, relapse cases, smoking and individuals presenting with far advanced changes on chest X-rays at the time of diagnosis.