Evaluation of the program of tuberculosis control. Municipality of Cardenas. 2001-2008

Abstract

In the region of the Americas, Cuba has one of the smallest rates of morbimortality in tuberculosis, for what the initiative arose of generating a common strategy toward the elimination of this disease like a health problem. We carried out an Investigation in Health Systems and Services with an observational epidemiologic design of the cross-sectional descriptive kind in the municipality of Cardenas, in the period 2001-2008. We took all the cases of tuberculosis diagnosed, arriving to the conclusion that there was a reduction in the number of the cases in 2003, and later in 2007 and 2008. The most affected age group was the one formed by patients who are 65 years old and more, being the male genre the predominant one. The main form of diagnose was the pulmonary one, with a higher number of cases by positive sputum smear. Jose Antonio Echeverria and Moncada were the Health Areas with higher incidence. We reached the aim of the World and Pan-American Health Organizations, of healing 85 % of the cases. The screening indicators were fulfilled at the municipal level during the last 5 years, but not in all the health areas. The bigger quantity of cases was diagnosed in the health areas. In the 8 years of the study, three health areas reached the goal of rates smaller than 5 x 100 000 inhabitants, and 1 reported rates between 5 and 10 cases per 100 000 inhabitants; none of the municipalities had rates higher than 10, what allows to affirm that the initiative of eliminating the tuberculosis has come true in the municipality of Cardenas.