Evaluation of the quality of tuberculosis cases detection using the synthetic indicator in the municipality and health areas of Cárdenas. 2007-2009

Abstract

The World Tuberculosis Program of the World Health Organization (WHO) 1 has as a goal the detection of the 70 % of the bacillary tuberculosis cases and the 85 % healing of them, to be reached in 2015. The case detection (called here localization) is a group of linked activities, directed to find people with tuberculosis, treating them in an adequate way to neutralize the transmission and avoiding new tuberculosis cases. We carried out a retrospective study of the process of case detection in the municipality and health areas of Cardenas during 2007 and 2008, and from January 1 st to March 31 st 2008-2009. We reviewed the data of the epidemiologic records of the cases and the reports of this municipality tuberculosis control program. We applied the evaluation of the Synthetic Indicator of Case Localization to all the data obtained for each indicator. The values of the synthetic indicator of case localization were qualified as very good in 2007 and as outstanding in 2008. In the first trimester of 2008, like in the first trimester of 2009, they were qualified as outstanding. In the four health areas of the municipality of Cardenas, the values of the Synthetic Indicator of Case Localization oscillate between 0,9 and 1, so all the health areas obtained outstanding qualifications in the first trimester of both years. The Synthetic Indicator of Case Localization is a dynamic process that can be used to monitor and evaluate the quality of case detection.