A ocorrência da tuberculose em um distrito administrativo do Município de São Paulo

Adherence to tuberculosis treatment in Primary Health Care: perception of patients and professionals in a large municipality

Abstract Objective: Analyze the actions developed in Primary Health Care (PHC) to promote adherence to tuberculosis (TB) treatment in the perception of patients and nursing team. Methods: Cross-sectional epidemiological study conducted at the PHC of Campinas-SP, through structured interviews with 18 corresponding questions on the perception of professionals (183) and patients (165). Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test were used. Results: Actions such as the promotion of autonomy and time for the patient to talk about doubts and concerns, guidance to seek information in books and/or on the Internet on the disease, and for the family to perform TB tests, undergo directly observed treatment, schedule monthly consultations, delivery of written information on treatment and incentive were actions more perceived by the professionals than patients reported receiving. Conclusions: The identification of gaps in the offer of actions for adherence to TB treatment can help health services to change and improve the practice and the epidemiological scenario of the disease.

Occurrence of tuberculosis cases in Crato, Ceará, from 2002 to 2011: a spatial analisys of specific standards

OBJECTIVE

to analyze the spatial distribution of tuberculosis in Crato, Ceará, Brazil, from 2002 to 2011, aiming to check for a point pattern.

METHODS

This is an ecological, temporal trend and hybrid design study, with a quantitative approach. A total of 261 cases of tuberculosis were geo-referenced and 20 (7.1%) were considered as losses due to the lack of address. The profile of patients in 10 years of study was in accordance with the following pattern: men aged between 20 and 59 years, with low schooling, affected by the pulmonary form of tuberculosis and who were cured from the disease.

RESULTS

The analysis of the spatial distribution of tuberculosis points out that in the period of study, new cases of the disease were not distributed on a regular basis, indicating a clustered spatial pattern, confirmed by the L-function. The map with the density of new cases estimated by the Kernel method showed that the "hot" areas are more concentrated in the vicinity of the central urban area.

CONCLUSION

The study allowed pointing out areas of higher and lower concentration of tuberculosis, identifying the spatial pattern, but it also recognized that the disease has not reached all of the population groups with the same intensity. Those who were most vulnerable were the ones who lived in regions with higher population densities, precarious living conditions, and with intense flow of people.