Completeness of tuberculosis information system data from prisoners in the state Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) has a high incidence in several countries and is even more severe in prisoners. We evaluated the completeness of prisoners TB notifications in the Notifiable Disease Information System (SINAN) carried out by prison primary care teams (eAPP) or by other health facilities in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS). This descriptive cross-sectional study used prisoners data notifications in the SINAN TB by the eAPP or other health facilities from January 2014 to November 2018. We analyzed the percentage of completeness of the variables: gender, ethnicity, schooling, HIV, entry type, sputum smear, sputum culture, AIDS, ART during TB treatment, directly observed treatment (DOT), sixth-month smear, and closure status. Around 52.9% of TB cases in prisoners were reported by eAPP, and other health facilities reported 47.1% of the cases. Eighty percent of the variables were classified in category 4 (75.1% to 100% completeness). However, the DOT and sixth-month smear variables were classified into category 3 (50.1% and 75% completeness). While it does not compromise the notification of TB in the SINAN, the lack of data can impair the quality of information about the disease.