Date of Conferral

2021

Degree

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)

School

Public Health

Advisor

Patrick Tschida

Abstract

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by bacteria and can easily spread in the U.S. and worldwide. TB infections in the U.S. have been much lower compared to other countries around the world in the last 40 years, but with the recent increase in an immigrant foreign-born population, there is a serious risk of the spread of TB. The goal of the study was to look into U.S.-born vs. foreign-born populations among TB/HIV/homeless cases in the state of GA from 2014 to 2018. The quantitative study was performed using secondary data from the CDC Online Tuberculosis Information System. Univariate Chi-square and multivariate regression analyses were done while using the social ecological model as theoretical framework. Findings show no evidence of the association between origin of birth, the odds of being foreign-born TB case in GA and HIV status, rather U.S.-born to be more HIV positive and homeless. There was no significant association related to sex and being foreign-born among HIV positive TB cases, and no significant association related to age groups in homeless TB cases. The study contributes to positive social change by improving treatment plans to eliminate TB in GA refuting the assumption that foreign born persons are more likely than U.S.-born persons to be HIV positive and homeless, thus reducing the stigma among the foreign-born population. These findings will benefit society and will result in immigrant friendly and less biased society for all.

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