[Tuberculosis Treatment Outcomes in the Republic of Korea, 2023].

OBJECTIVES

To monitor the management of patients with tuberculosis (TB), the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency first published the “2023 Tuberculosis Treatment Outcome Report” in 2025. This report analyzes treatment outcomes based on these patients’ clinical and demographic characteristics, serving as a reference for experts and policymakers. This study summarizes the key findings of the 2023 report.

METHODS

Data were obtained from the Korea Tuberculosis Network System, including TB notification reports and case investigation forms. Treatment outcomes were determined by chronologically linking reports from treatment initiation to completion. The final outcome in the most recent notification was used to analyze treatment outcomes.

RESULTS

In 2023, the treatment success rate (TSR) for patients with drug-susceptible TB was 79.3% and decreased with age. The TSR among national health insurance beneficiaries was higher than that of receiving medical aid recipients, and the TSR for new patients was higher than for those previously treated for TB. In 2022, the TSR for patients with multidrug-resistant TB was 72.4% and also decreased with age, primarily due to an increase in deaths.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients more vulnerable to treatment challenges, such as older adults, tend to have lower TSRs. As the number of older patients with TB increases, non-TB-related deaths are also expected to increase, potentially limiting future improvements in TSR. Still, the government will continue to strengthen support policies, such as those promoting medication adherence and treatment continuation, to help vulnerable patients successfully complete their TB treatment.