Abstract

CORTEZI, Mari Dalva  and  SILVA, Marcos Vinicius da. Abandono  do tratamento da tuberculose em pacientes co-infectados com HIV, em Itajaí, Santa Catarina, 1999 - 2004. Bol. Pneumol. Sanit. [online]. 2006, vol.14, n.3, pp.145-152. ISSN 0103-460X.

AIM: To identify the reasons why patients with TB and HIV default from treatment at the AIDS Reference Center in Itajaí, Santa Catarina, during the period June 1999 - November 2004. METHOD: Study of patients who had defaulted from treatment. Data obtained from the Day- Hospital medical files and from questionnaires applied during home visits. Demographic, socio-economic and epidemiological features, as well as problems regarding access to public services, the use of alcohol and drugs and other difficulties in following the therapeutic regimen were evaluated. RESULTS: 61 (6.7 %) patients (41 (4.5%) pulmonary cases and 20 (22%) extra pulmonary) from the 905 who live in Itajaí had abandoned the TB treatment. For several reasons, 22 of those patients were excl0uded, and only 19 patients -14 (73,7%) men and 5 (26,3%) women- were analysed. Mean age: 36,8 years. 13 (68,4%) were white, 4 (21.1%) black and 2 ( 10.51%) other. 15 (78.9%) out of the 19 patients had quit the treatment once or twice, .and in 7 (36,8%) cases, the abandonment occurred on the 4th month of treatment, 14 (74%) out of the 19 patients were shown to have HIV before tuberculosis was diagnosed. CONCLUSION: there were multiple causes for the abandonment and most of them related to low educational level, unfavorable social conditions, social exclusion, and the side effects of the medication.

Keywords : tuberculosis; AIDS; co-infection, TB/AIDS; abandonment.

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