THE ORGANIZATION OF THE FAMILY HEALTH STRATEGY AND ASPECTS RELATED TO DELAY IN DIAGNOSIS OF TUBERCULOSIS

Abstract

The aim of the study was to analyze the relationship between the organization of health services and the factors which influence delay in the diagnosis of tuberculosis in the health districts of João Pessoa/Paraíba in Brazil. The research was qualitative and involved six workers in health management – support matrix. Information was collected through semi-structured interviews and processed via the technique of discourse analysis. The results show that in the Family Health Strategy teams there is no planning behind the actions for control of tuberculosis and that a passive search of people showing respiratory symptoms is prevalent, demonstrating that the services are not organized for the effective control of the illness. The subjects’ discourses also indicate that, as managers, they are unaware of the official strategy for confronting tuberculosis and are not syntonized with the concepts of health promotion or health vigilance. It is concluded that the way in which the control of tuberculosis is organized contributes to delay in its diagnosis.

Keywords

• Health management
• Late diagnosis
• Tuberculosis
• Family health program