Pathways of children and adolescents with tuberculosis in health services

Abstract

Objective: to know the pathways people under the age of 15 follow in search of the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis. Method: an exploratory, descriptive study with a qualitative approach, carried out from March to July 2015 in priority cities for tuberculosis control. In this research, 11 caregivers of tuberculosis patients under the age of 15 years and 11 nurses from the primary health care units participated, selected in an intentional way. For data collection, semi-structured interviews were recorded and transcribed, organized in Atlas.ti software, analyzed using thematic content analysis. Result: construction of two categories, namely: In search of the diagnosis in the different gateways to the health system, presenting the services the caregivers use and the aspects that involved the care of these people in those places; Pathways towards tuberculosis treatment, showing the accessibility to the Health Care Network in these people’s search for the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis. Conclusion: the entrance door through the emergency services, the diagnosis at higher complexity levels in the network and the concomitant follow-up by nurses and physicians of two services show the fragility of the family’s bond with primary care. In addition, the need to strengthen the family health strategy in tuberculosis control actions is highlighted, as well as the need to disseminate in the health services what care points exist in the network for the appropriate referral of persons under 15 years of age with tuberculosis.