Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
Public Health Programs and Services
Tuberculosis Control Program
1996 Epidemiology Fact Sheet
Tuberculosis Cases Among Foreign Born and Asians/Others

1. Although the number of reported Tuberculosis (TB) cases has declined approximately 37% over the past four years in Los Angeles County, TB continues to be a public health problem, particularly in the foreign-born, homeless and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) co-infected persons.
2. In 1996, there were 1,375 confirmed cases of TB in Los Angeles County. Of the 1,375 confirmed cases, 380 (28%) cases fell within the Asian/Other category. The Asian/Other category comprises Asians, Pacific Islanders and American Indians. Asians/Others represented 37% of all confirmed cases in California in 1996 and 19% of all confirmed cases in the United States in 1996.
3. Although Asians/Others only represent 13% of the population, they represent 28% of all confirmed cases in Los Angeles County and comprise the second largest proportion of cases in Los Angeles County. Hispanics comprise the greatest proportion of cases with 45%. The proportion of cases that Asians/Others represent has increased over the decades, accounting for 6% in 1970, 20% in 1980 and 27% in 1990.
4. The race specific case rate for the Asian/Other category is greater than that for all other race categories with a rate of 34.0 per 100,000 population in 1996. This represents a 22% decrease from 1995 (43.5/100,000).
5. The age specific case rates in the Asian/Other category increase with age, with the greatest number in the 65+ category, indicating that TB is more of a problem in the elderly Asian/Other population. The age specific rates were as follows: 0-14, 4 cases per 100,000, 15-34, 25 cases per 100,000, 35-44, 27 cases per 100,000, 45-54, 31 cases per 100,000, 55-64, 56 cases per 100,000, and 65+, 135 cases per 100,000.
6. Females account for 40% of the TB cases in the Asian/Other category and have a case rate of 27 cases per 100,000 population. Males accounted for 60% of the cases and the case rate was higher than that for the females, with a rate of 41 cases per 100,000 population.
7. Ninety-six percent (363) of all TB cases in the Asian/Other category occurred in foreign-born persons. Of these 363 cases, 41% (149) of the cases were from the Philippines, 18% (65) from Korea, 17% (63) from Vietnam, 13% (48) from China and 10% (38) from other countries. Asians/Others represent 39% (363) of the 67% (928) foreign-born cases in Los Angeles County.
8. The health districts with the highest reported case rates for the Asian/Other category are Southeast with 189 cases per 100,000, Central with 57 cases per 100,000, Hollywood with 49 cases per 100,000, East Valley with 47 cases per 100,000 and El Monte with 42 cases per 100,000 population.
9. Risk factors such as homelessness and co-infection with HIV were not prevalent in this group. In 1996, less than 1% of Asians/Others were reported as homeless. Out of 137 HIV/TB co-infected cases, only 4% (6 cases) were reported as Asian/Other.