Os fatores associados à tuberculose pulmonar e a baciloscopia: uma contribuição ao diagnóstico nos serviços de saúde pública

Abstract

Objectives. This study aims to find the main factors associated with pulmonary tuberculosis and sputum smear. Design: A cross-sectional study based on secondary records. Sample and methods: The study included one hundred eight-nine (189) patients up to 25 years of age who received care at Hospital Giselda Trigueiro (Natal/RN) from 2000 to 2002. Associated factors were collected from patient records. Results: The results demonstrated that the factors associated to tuberculosis were alcoholism and smoking (20.6%), alcoholism (16.7%), smoking (19.8%), diabetes (8.7%), direct infection (10.3%), untreated pneumonia (6.3%), abandoned treatment (6.3%), and other factors (11.1%). Sputum smear was performed in 84.1% of the cases. 44.7% of these presented positive results and 55.3% were negative. Conclusion: The factors associated to pulmonary tuberculosis may contribute towards its diagnosis, since the sputum smear presents low sensitivity.