Avaliação da completude dos registros dos casos novos de tuberculose na Superintendência da Região de Fortaleza, Ceará, 2019 a 2023

Abstract

The study aimed to assess the completeness of variables recorded in notification forms and the monitoring bulletin for new tuberculosis cases in the Notifiable Diseases Information System (SINAN), related to the Fortaleza Regional Superintendence, from 2019 to 2023. This is a descriptive, quantitative, and retrospective epidemiological study focusing on the completeness of secondary tuberculosis data. TB cases in the SRFOR were predominantly male (67.5%), aged 20 to 49 years (43.2%), of mixed race/skin color (77.5%), with incomplete elementary education (25.2%), and with an average cure rate of 61.3%. The completeness analysis covered notification and additional variables from the TB notification/investigation form, as well as variables from the monitoring bulletin, classified as mandatory and essential. Data completeness was assessed according to the following criteria: excellent (<5% incompleteness), good (5% to <10%), fair (10% to <20%), poor (20% to 50%), and very poor (>50%). Overall, the completeness of the analyzed variables was classified as fair (16.5% incompleteness). The essential variables "area of residence" and "sensitivity test" showed very poor completeness. In the follow-up report, the variables "control sputum smear microscopy" and "DOT" showed poor completeness over the years, with progressive worsening over the months of treatment. The completeness assessment identified weaknesses in the notification and recording process, and presumably a failure in the follow-up of tuberculosis cases. The low completeness of these variables indicates the need for improvements in the case recording and reporting processes, including training of health teams and strengthening of information management, in order to ensure more reliable data for planning and monitoring public policies to combat tuberculosis.