[Socio-economic factors of 1991-2000 Kalisz pulmonary tuberculosis (ptb) incidences appraisal].

UNLABELLED: An appraisal of socio-economic factors that might have influenced the number of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) incidences in Kalisz, i.e. an average size town, was performed.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

The study concerned overall 376 PTB cases (265 men and 111 women) reported in 1991-2000.

RESULTS

Out of the patients subject to the study 50.8% were single. 26.9% produced elementary education degrees, 56.6% had graduated from vocational schools, 10.9% had attended secondary schools, and 5.6% had completed higher education. 25.5% were employed on terms of employment. 78.1% were labour with permanent income. 37.2% were pensioners. 10.4% were receiving state-subsidized living wages, 3.7% were obtaining social wages. 2.7% were supported by their parents. 20.5% claimed no permanent income. 12.0% were dwelling in one-room flats, 61.7% in two- or three-room ones, and 22.6% in four-room or even bigger apartments. 3.7% were homeless. 75.0% were cigarette smokers, and 21.0% were abusing alcohol. 2.7% did not own any housing, were smokers and were abusing alcohol. Cigarette smoking, other (apart from terms of employment) maintenance source and vocational education degree were typical of majority of the subjects (75.0 - 56.6%).

CONCLUSIONS

The factors that had influenced the higher number of PTB cases among men than women were: simultaneous alcohol abuse, cigarette smoking (M : F 78,0) and homelessness among men only. One-room dwelling (M : F 8,0), other maintenance sources, i.e. the dole (M : F 5,5), no permanent income (M : F 5,4), social wages (M : F 3,4) and vocational education (M : F 4,0) could have proved equally influential.