Prevalence and Factors Associated with Tuberculosis Among Healthcare Workers: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

Background: Healthcare workers are exposed to an unhealthy environment that increases the risk of developing tuberculosis. Objective: To analyze the prevalence and factors associated with tuberculosis among healthcare workers. Methods: A systematic review with meta-analysis was conducted using six databases. Methodological quality was assessed according to JBI recom-mendations. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines were followed for reporting. Results: Thir-ty-two articles were included in the evidence synthesis. The prevalence of tuberculosis among healthcare workers was found to be 15.92% [95%CI 8.49–27.88 | I² = 99% | p = 0]. Female sex was associated with 1.27 times higher odds of infection [95%CI 0.68–2.38, I² = 80%, p = 0.01]. Advanced age increased the odds by 2.48 times [95%CI 1.33–4.62, I² = 76%, p = 0.01], and having 10 or more years of professional experience increased the odds by 1.08 times [95%CI 1.02–1.15, I² = 57%, p = 0.05] for developing tuberculosis in the healthcare setting. Conclusion: Early diagnosis of tuber-culosis in the workplace and the implementation of continuing education programs with preventive strategies are essential to control contamination and the spread of the disease. PROSPERO registration: CRD42022320153.