Enrollment in English-as-a-second-language class as a predictor of tuberculosis infection in schoolchildren

Abstract

Objective: To assess the rate of tuberculosis infection among Hispanic students enrolled in English-as-a-Second-Language classes compared with Hispanic and non-Hispanic students not enrolled in such classes.

Methods: Using Mantoux tuberculin skin tests, the authors screened 720 students--out of 844 eligible--in two schools with predominantly Hispanic populations. Ethnicity and enrollment in the English-as-a-Second Language classes were recorded for each student. The rate of skin test positivity was compared for students enrolled and not enrolled in these classes.

Results: The incidence of positive tests among Hispanic students enrolled in an English-as-a-Second-Language class was 10.6%, compared with 1.3% for Hispanic students not enrolled (relative risk 8.3, 95% confidence interval 2.92, 23.8). There was no statistically significant difference in incidence rates for non-Hispanic students (0.5%) and Hispanic students (1.3%) who were not enrolled in English-as-a-Second-Language class (relative risk 2.4, 95% confidence interval 0.27, 20.9).

Conclusion: School-based tuberculin screening programs targeted at students enrolled in English-as-a-Second-Language classes can be effective and are not racially discriminatory.