Vulnerability of NCDs and Mediating Effect of Risk Behaviors Among Tuberculosis Patients and Their Household Contacts Compared to the General Population in the Yangon Region, Myanmar

Purpose We investigated the association of TB patients and their household contacts with diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension compared to the general population, and the mediating effects of risk behaviors including current smoking, alcohol drinking, and poor diet quality. Patients and methods A cross-sectional study on screening for DM, hypertension, and risk behaviors among newly diagnosed TB patients (n = 221) and their household contacts (n = 257) aged 25-74 years in Yangon in 2018. Health data of the general population (n = 755) were obtained from an NCD risk factor survey in Yangon. A directed acyclic graph is used to identify possible pathways of association between variables. Associations are presented as adjusted odds ratios (aOR). Results Compared to the general population, both TB patients and their household contacts were associated with current smoking and drinking, and TB patients were more likely to be underweight. Without considering mediating effects, TB patients had higher odds of DM (aOR = 6.3, 95% CI: 3.8-10.6), but both TB patients and household contacts had lower odds of hypertension (aOR = 0.54; 95% CI: 0.33-0.87) and (aOR = 0.68; 95% CI: 0.47-0.98), respectively. The body mass index-mediated pathway reduced the odds of DM and hypertension among TB patients (aOR = 3.4; 95% CI: 2.2-5.3) and (aOR = 0.3; 95% CI: 0.2-0.5), respectively. Conclusion The shared risk behaviors among TB patients and household contacts with high burden of DM in TB patients endorse screening of risk behaviors and strengthening the integration of NCD services among TB patients and household contacts in this dual-burden country.