Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This report analyzes tuberculosis (TB) notification trends in 2023 for the Seoul metropolitan area (Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi) and Capital region (including Gangwon), aiming to inform regarding effective TB management strategies. METHODS: Data from the TB integrated management system (2014–2023) were used to analyze all patients with TB, new patients, older adults (65+ years), foreigners, medical security types, and drug-resistant TB cases. RESULTS: In 2023, the Seoul metropolitan area experienced a 3.6% decrease in the number of patients with TB (8,707 cases), which was less than the national rate. The TB incidence rate among older adults was 107.2/100,000, which was a slight decrease from the incidence rate for the previous year. The incidence among foreigners was 89.9 per 100,000, which was also a decrease. The TB incidence among medical aid recipients (155.0) was 5.3 times higher than that among health insurance subscribers (29.0). Further, the prevalence of multidrug-resistant/rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (3.1%) was higher than the national prevalence rate (2.8%). CONCLUSIONS: The Seoul metropolitan area requires targeted management of older adult, foreign, and medically vulnerable populations. Gangwon requires customized strategies to address aging and access limitations. Different region-specific approaches are needed to reduce the incidence of TB in the Capital region.