OBJECTIVE:

To describe the epidemiological aspects of tuberculosis (TB) in patients ≥ 20 years old living in the Integration Regions of Pará State, Brazil, from 2005 to 2014.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Ecological study based on data from the Information System on Diseases of Compulsory Declaration (Sinan) of the Secretariat of Public Health of Pará State (SESPA). The following variables were analyzed: gender, race/colour, age, schooling, forms of TB, vulnerability, alcohol consumption, comorbidities, HIV coinfection, and the Region of Integration of residence.

RESULTS:

A total of 35,926 cases were studied in the age group ≥ 20 years old. The mean age was 41.3 (± 0.9) years old, with the highest occurrence in males (63.1%) and brown skin (71.5%). There was a predominance of elementary education, except in the Metropolitan Region. Pulmonary form was the most predominant (87.3%). Among institutionalized, the highest incidence was in the incarcerated population (47.4%). Alcohol consumption (38.6%) was more prevalent than diabetes (28.0%), HIV coinfection (27.0%), and mental illness (6.4%), with highest occurrence in the Xingu Region (79.9%). A convergence of TB incidence and the proportion of TB/HIV coinfection was observed.

CONCLUSION:

Although the Brazilian Ministry of Health provides effective therapeutic regimens for TB treatment, the epidemiological aspects analyzed showed that lifestyle, comorbidities, HIV coinfection, low schooling, and others factors contribute to the maintenance of high incidence of this disease in Pará State.