EFFECTIVENESS OF TUBERCULOSIS TREATMENT IN THE NORTHEAST STATES

Abstract

Introduction: Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that has been with humanity for centuries and can progress to death. In this regard, the effective treatment and management of the population exposed to this disease are the cornerstone of tuberculosis control. Adherence to treatment is essential to prevent drug resistance and reduce the impact on public health. Objective: To analyze the effectiveness of tuberculosis treatment in public health in the Northeast, including diagnostic and treatment strategies. Methodology: This is a longitudinal and analytical study that evaluated data from the period 2013 to 2021 regarding tuberculosis treatment, using DataSUS as the database. Using descriptors from the database itself, information about the Northeast region was collected and subsequently subjected to statistical analysis using the Shapiro-Wilk test and measures of central dispersion. Results: It is observed that men are more affected, as well as individuals of black/brown race with low educational attainment. From the data analysis, a relationship between the form of the disease and its possible outcome is inferred, in which cure was more notable in pulmonary forms, and death from tuberculosis in cases where there is a combination of extrapulmonary and pulmonary forms. Conclusion: Tuberculosis control in public health in the Northeast faces continuous challenges due to the high incidence in the region. The Ministry of Health seeks goals that include cure, reduction of treatment abandonment, as this factor is determinant of treatment efficacy, and the minimization of tuberculosis-related deaths. However, cure rates are not guaranteed due to the complexity of the interaction between location, gender, ethnicity, and disease characteristics. Integrated approaches with clinical considerations and social determinants play a crucial role in treatment efficacy.