Community-Based Active Case Finding for Tuberculosis in Rural Uttar Pradesh: Diagnostic Yield and Epidemiological Profile
Keywords:
Tuberculosis, Active case finding, Community screening, NTEPAbstract
Background : Active case finding is a critical strategy under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) to identify undiagnosed TB cases in the community. This approach not only helps in reducing diagnostic delays and interrupting transmission but also contributes significantly towards achieving the goal of ending TB elimination
Objectives : The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of Active Case Finding (ACF) in a rural community by identifying presumptive TB cases and high-risk groups, describing their demographic and clinical characteristics, estimating the prevalence and diagnostic yield, calculating the number needed to screen, and exploring operational barriers encountered during implementation.
Methods: A cross-sectional screening activity was conducted in three randomly selected villages . A total of 1100 individuals were screened using standard symptom-based criteria and high risk groups . Sample was collected from the eligible cases and the positive cases were linked to treatment under NTEP guidelines.
Results: Out of 1100 individuals screened, 130 (11.8%) were identified as eligible for sputum collection. Of these, 78 (60%) underwent diagnostic testing. Five individuals (6.4% of those tested) were found to be TB positive.
Conclusion: Even though barriers like stigma associated with the disease and logistical challenges were observed , the activity highlights the importance of community-level TB screening for early detection and prompt initiation of treatment, contributing to TB control efforts.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Abhishek, Ranjana Singh, Sangeeta Dewan
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