Tuberculosis and homelessness in Montreal: a retrospective cohort study

BMC Public Health

Table 1 Demographic and clinical characteristics of homeless and non-homeless persons with TB on the Island of Montreal, 1996-2007

	Homeless (n = 20)		Non-Homeless (n = 1803)		Odds Ratio or P-Value
Demographics
Canadian-born, N (%)	17	85%	297	16%	OR = 28 (95% CI: 8.1-96)
Aboriginal, N (% of Canadian-born)	5	29%	-	-	-
Median Age, Years (IQR)	44	35-51	39	28-60	p = 0.18
Male, N (%)	11	55%	974	53%	OR = 1.0 (95% CI: 0.42-2.5)
TB Disease
Culture-Positive, N (% of all cases)	20	100%	1598	89%	-
Pulmonary TB, N (% of all cases)	20	100%	1230	68%	-
Smear-Positive, N (% of pulmonary cases)	17	85%	601	49%	OR = 5.7 (95% CI: 1.7-20)
Resistant to one or more Drugs, N (%)	2	10%	211	12%	OR = 0.71 (95% CI: 0.16-3.1)
Risk Factors and Co-morbidities
Smoker, N (%)	12	60%	274	15%	OR = 8.2 (95% CI: 3.1-22)
Alcohol Use, N (%)	15	75%	271	15%	OR = 20 (95% CI: 5.7-69)
Drug User, N (%)	13	65%	18	1.0%	OR = 190 (95 % CI: 62-600)
Smoker and Alcohol and Drug User, N (%)	7	35%	11	0.61%	OR = 86 (95% CI: 28-260)
Tested for HIV, N (%)	17	85%	883	49%	OR = 5.9 (95% CI: 1.7-20)
HIV-Positive, N (% of Tested for HIV)	12	60%	130	7.2%	OR = 14 (95% CI: 4.8-40)
Liver Disease, N (%)	11	55%	118	6.5%	OR = 24 (95% CI: 8.7-66)
Psychiatric Illness, N (%)	4	20%	-	-
Treatment
Median Diagnostic Delay*(Days), IQR	61	31-92	28	14-60	p = 0.022
Directly Observed Therapy (DOT), N (%)	14	70%	733	45%	OR = 5.6 (95% CI: 1.6-20)
Median Duration of Therapy (Months), IQR	9	6-10.5	6	6-9	p = 0.623
Treatment Outcome: Cured, N (%)	15	75%	1465	81%	OR = 0.56 (95% CI: 0.18-1.7)
Treatment Outcome: Died, N (%)	3	15%	116	6.4%	OR = 2.5 (95% CI: 0.73-8.8)

ISSN: 1471-2458