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Immigrants and the Spread of Tuberculosis in the United States: A Hidden Cost of Immigration. by, Michael J. Greenwood and Watson R. Warriner. Research Question and Motivation.
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Immigrants and the Spread of Tuberculosis in the United States:A Hidden Cost of Immigration by, Michael J. Greenwood and Watson R. Warriner
Research Question and Motivation Do immigrants from countries with high TB incidence affect Tuberculosis cases among the foreign-born population, and in turn, is the native-born population in the United States infected? • TB is the second largest killer from infectious diseases in the world • TB Prevalence is on the rise around the world • TB rates in the U.S. continue to decline, but by less each year • Does something have to give? • Is there transmission between cohorts?
Notes: Data obtained from the CDC Wonder OTIS Database and U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Data obtained from World Health Organization Tuberculosis Programme
Notes: Data obtained from the CDC Wonder OTIS Database and U.S. Census Bureau
TB Background • Types • Latent or Active • Treatments • Chemotherapy (four different drugs for 6 months) • BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guerin) Vaccine – not effective for active or re-activations • Immigration Laws • Persons with TB not allowed into the U.S. • Prior to 2007: chest x-ray (only detects active) • 2007 to Present: skin test for children under 15 (detects both active and latent forms)
Related Research • Little research regarding immigrant to native transmission • Stagnation in TB elimination relatively recent • Immigration has not been a primary focus in TB elimination efforts • Small-scale case studies vs. larger-scale epidemiological studies • Conclusions • Positively correlated with TB: • Number of minorities, population density, immigration, poverty, and HIV/AIDS • Findings are inconsistent • No research on transmission to native-born populations
Theoretical Background • Top 50 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) by total TB cases (1993-2007) • Limitation due to suppression of TB statistics • Account for 69.5% of total TB cases in the U.S. (1993-2007) • Observation = an MSA in a given year • 750 total (15 years x 50 MSAs)
Theoretical Background • Recursive Model (A -> B, B -> C) • A: High-Incidence Immigration • B: Foreign-Born TB • C: Native-Born TB 1. FBTBit = f(HMIGit , LMIGit, DEMit , SOCECONit) 2. NBTBit = g (FBTBit , DEMit ,SOCECONit)
Data • Tuberculosis Statistics • Constant geographies: 2007 MSA definitions • Demographic and socio-economic data • Country-specific TB incidence data • MSA immigration statistics • HIV incidence data
Econometric Approach • Five Estimations per Regression • FOCUS: Temporal and Divisional (9 Census Divisions) Fixed Effects • Base Year = 1993, Base Division = Pacific • Immigration Variable is Summed, t and t-1 • HIV/AIDS Incidence Inclusion • 2006, 12% TB cases in U.S. were also co-infections with HIV • Data Limited to 2003 – 2007 (Panel Data with 250 Observations) • Only an estimated effect
Econometric Approach • Double-log regression • Results can be interpreted as elasticities • Or…the percentage change in the dependant variable that results from a one-percent change in the independent variable • FBTBit = α1(HMIGit β1) (LMIGit β2 ) (FBPopit β3) (NBPopit β4) (PopDenit β5) (Povertyit β6)( εit ) 2. NBTBit = α2(FBTBit ρ1) (NBPopit ρ2) (FBPopit ρ3 ) (Whiteit ρ4 ) (Blackit ρ5 ) (Asianit ρ6 ) (AmerIndit ρ7 ) (OtherRaceit ρ8 ) (Hispanicit ρ9 ) (PopDenit ρ10 ) (Povertyit ρ11 ) ( εit )
Empirical Results • Positive and significant elasticities for key independent variables in both regressions • Increased immigration from high-TB incidence countries -> increased number of TB cases among the foreign-born -> more native-born TB cases • Transmission exists from the foreign to the native-born populations in the sample
Societal Cost of TB in U.S. for 2008 • Societal Cost Makeup • $1.47 billion - $2.63 billion (not including transmission) • 0.018% of total GDP ($14.61 trillion) • TST for all Legal Permanent Resident Immigrants = $23.8 million • Between 0.90% and 1.62% of total TB cost • Minor relative cost to eliminate incoming TB
Discussion • Advantages • Broad sample and isolation of urban areas • Limitations • Linear interpolation of demographic data • Demographic data only gathered for entire population • Immigration data only include Legal Permanent Residents • Extensions • Two way transmission – two staged least squares • Obtain more years for HIV incidence data
Implications of Research • Incoming latent TB among Immigrants infecting the natives through transmission via the foreign-born population • TST for all immigrants highly recommended • HIV Travel Ban Lifted in 2009 • Major Implications to this study • 1/3 of those infected with HIV are TB co-infections