Prevalence of notification of tuberculosis cases in family health strategies in Santa Cruz do Sul, state of Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Tuberculosis (TB), a communicable infectious disease, is a major public health problem in Brazil and worldwide, integrating the National List of Compulsory Notification Diseases. Due to the high incidence observed, the city of Santa Cruz do Sul is one of the priority municipalities for disease notification control in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. In this context, the Family Health Strategies (FHS) are important contributors to the notification process, as they are being increasingly used as points of access into the health system and disease control units. This study aims to establish the prevalence of notification of TB cases in FHS units in Santa Cruz do Sul. Methods: The present was an observational, cross-sectional study. Data from families registered in 11 FHS units in the city of Santa Cruz do Sul, related to the year 2013, were used. Results: The total number of reported cases was 17, all of which were aged 15 years or older. The files did not specify the gender of the reported individuals. The prevalence of tuberculosis in the total FHS units analyzed was 0.51/1,000 registered individuals. Conclusion: The high rate of TB cases in the municipality may be related to an increase in the quality of active search of patients, leading to a higher number of notifications by the FHS units. This high rate of notifications is relevant, as it discloses the importance of the FHS in the creation and adoption of preventive measures.