07 Oct Ukraine: Public Health Center implements online TB screening tool
[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_separator type=”normal” thickness=”2″ up=”20″ down=”20″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”nivo” interval=”3″ images=”2866,2867″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]In Ukraine, it is estimated that 25% of people with TB remain undiagnosed. In some cases, under-detection is due to lack of awareness of TB symptoms. In efforts to increase awareness, the Public Health Center (PHC) of the Ministry of Health has implemented an online TB screening survey which consists of 13 questions to determine TB risk. The survey is available to anyone who follows the link, which can be found on PHC’s website and Facebook page.
The questions are as follows:
- Do you have a cough that has lasted over 2 weeks?
- Have you experienced increased fatigue and weakness in recent months?
- Do you experience excessive sweating, especially at night?
- Have you inexplicably lost weight?
- Have you had a recent increase in body temperature – even a slight increase up to 37 or 37.2 C?
- Do you sometimes have chest pain?
- Do you have shortness of breath with little exercise?
- Have you had contact with a tuberculosis patient in the last 2 years?
- Have you had tuberculosis in the past?
- Do you have a chronic illness that causes immunity (such as HIV, diabetes, cancer, etc.)?
- Do you receive treatment with prednisolone or other immunosuppressant drugs (commonly used in the treatment of neoplasms, autoimmune diseases of bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, etc.)?
- Have you had an organ/bone marrow transplant?
- Does your life have at least one of the following characteristics: low levels of financial support, migration, excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, drug use, homelessness?
Depending on the answers provided, the site visitor is advised to visit a physician for further TB evaluation or just for a regular health check-up.
This tool can be used anywhere in the world, is completely anonymous and is available to anyone with internet access.
Over a 2-week period, more than 18,000 Internet users have completed the survey, which has been shared on Facebook by the Public Health Center and the Minister of Health, Ulyana Suprun. The link is also available on the Public Health Center’s website.
It is expected that the number of medical consultations of people who have TB symptoms will increase, which should cause an increase in the incidence of active TB. The activity is also expected to improve awareness of TB symptoms.
In the next quarter, the Public Health Center plans to find new ways to further disseminate this online questionnaire and to organize TB screening and awareness events where people can get tested for TB free of charge.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]