Abstract:
Background:
Street-connected youth and young adults
(SCY) suffer a myriad of health problems. In Kenya, SCY
are at high risk for tuberculosis (TB) due to their congre-
gate living situations. TB screening is not routinely imple-
mented in SCY and there has been no published litera-
ture on the burden of TB in SCY in western Kenya.
Program description:
In 2011, the AMPATH TB Pro-
gram, an experienced TB screening program, partnered
with the Tumaini Center, a trusted street youth organiza-
tion, to conduct intensified case finding (ICF) for pulmo-
nary TB among SCY. Our program aimed to investigate
the numbers of SCY who reported symptoms and those
diagnosed with smear-positive pulmonary TB, and link
SCY with TB to treatment.
Results:
Of 116 SCY who were screened, 114 (98%) had
a positive questionnaire; 104 (90%) provided a spot spu-
tum sample, 39 (34%) provided a morning sputum sam-
ple, and 111 (97%) reported cough of >2 weeks. One
street youth tested smear-positive for TB and was treated
through to cure.
Conclusions:
Implementing TB ICF is feasible in low-re-
source settings through unique collaborations between
health care programs and community-based organiza-
tions. In addition to identifying smear-positive TB, our
program uncovered a high burden of respiratory symp-
toms among SCY in Eldoret, Kenya
