Background/Aims@#Although the
incidence and
mortality of
tuberculosis are decreasing in
South Korea, the number of applications for
financial assistance with the
cost of
tuberculosis treatment made by individuals from
vulnerable groups was 3.8 times higher in 2019 compared to 2017 (
Tuberculosis Relief Belt Project, 2019). @*
Methods@#We analyzed the data of
patients who received financial
aid for
tuberculosis treatment (in the period 2014-2018) from the
Tuberculosis Relief Belt Project, which was designed to assist
vulnerable groups. This study analyzed 137 subjects, and the independent variables included
patient factors (age,
gender,
nationality,
tuberculosis type, number of comorbidities, and place of residence) and
treatment type (
outpatient or
inpatient). The dependent variable was the
treatment outcome. @*Results@#The likelihood of
treatment success was significantly lower for
patients with one (
odds ratio [OR] 0.202), two (OR 0.147), or three or more (OR 0.070) comorbidities compared to those with no comorbidities. This was also the case for
patients living alone (OR 0.097), and for those classified as homeless (OR 0.053). Korean
patients (OR 8.512) had a significantly higher
probability of a successful
treatment outcome than
foreigners. @*Conclusions@#Appropriate
community-based management of individuals with
tuberculosis from
vulnerable groups, including
foreigners, people with comorbidities, people
living alone, and people with an unstable residential situation or homeless status, is important.