Improving detection and notification of tuberculosis cases in students in Shaanxi province, China: an intervention study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cooperation between different public and private health institutes involved in tuberculosis (TB) control has proven to enhance TB control in different settings. In China, such a mechanism has not been set up yet between Centers for Disease Control (CDCs) and university hospitals despite an increased TB incidence among students. This study aims to improve arrival of TB suspects identified by universities at the CDCs in order to manage them under standardized, directly observed treatment-short course (DOTS) conditions according to the National Tuberculosis Programme (NTP) guidelines.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Five matched pairs of universities were randomly assigned to the control and intervention group. After a baseline survey, a cooperation mechanism between local CDCs and university hospitals was set up in the intervention group. The effects on referral of TB suspects to the local CDC, tracing by the local CDC, and arrival at the local CDCs were assessed. Differences were tested by means of the chi-square test.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>During the baseline survey, the referral, tracing and arrival rates were between 37% and 46%. After implementation of the cooperation mechanism, these rates had not changed in the control group but increased significantly in the intervention group: the referral, tracing and arrival rates were 97%, 95%, and 93%, respectively.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>It is feasible and effective to set up cooperation between CDCs and university hospitals to increase the number of TB suspects examined by CDCs and increase the number of TB patients treated under DOTS conditions. These public-public mix (PPM) activities should be expanded to cover all other university hospitals in China.</p

Factors influencing improvements in air quality in Guanzhong cities of China, and variations therein for 2014-2020

It is interesting and important to know what factors cause improvements in regional air quality. This study analyzed the factors that improved the air quality in cities in the Guanzhong region of China-in terms of meteorology and controlling emissions-following the implementation of the "Action Plan for Air Pollution Prevention and Control" in 2013. The average air quality index (AQI) values, PM2.5, PM10, SO2, CO, and NO2 in these cities in 2020 decreased by 45.1%, 43.8%, 82.9%, 57.3%, and 31.6%, respectively, compared to the values in 2014, while the O3 concentration increased by 16.7%. During the COVID-19 pandemic of February to May 2020, lockdown measures in cities in Guanzhong resulted in reductions of approximately 18.4%, 24.2%, and 17.9% in the AQI, PM2.5, and PM10 concentrations compared to the same period in 2019. Principal component analysis showed that the yearly reduction in AQI in cities in Guanzhong was attributed mainly to reductions in industrial emissions, followed by reductions in emissions from homes and motor vehicle exhausts. We propose the strengthening of measures to control particulate matter, O3 and greenhouse gas to see the improvement of air quality among this region in the future