Desempenho dos agentes comunitários de saúde na atenção ao tratamento da tuberculose

Abstract

The activities developed by the Community Health Agents (CHA), which focus of work is the family and community is essential for the implementation of tuberculosis control in Primary Health Care. It is a descriptive inquiry that aimed to analyze the performance of CHA care in the treatment of tuberculosis in health services of Cabedelo-PB. The data were collected by means of primary sources (interviews) with 64 CHA, using as instrument which was adapted and validated to TB care. Data were tabulated using the software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences and identified four indicators to evaluate the performance. The variables were analyzed according to previously established score. Although 93% of CHA making home visits to assert the priority of TB cases, performance was evaluated in home care as regular as only 43% do so daily, only 45.3% routinely investigate the presence of cough at home and 40 , 6% felt unprepared to guide the process of sputum collection. The performance of the CHA according to indicators for monitoring and treatment, it is observed that those related to the Directly Observed Treatment (TDO) achieved higher scores while variables related to achievement of sputum (monthly / bimonthly) had lower scores. Performance in the orientation process to the patient was satisfactory, considering that 96.9% said they would pass on information about the transmission of the disease, 93.8% provide guidance as to the time of taking the medication and 78.1% warn the patient the possibility of undesired reactions. The analysis of indicators for monitoring and prevention, the performance of CHA was considered fair, with only 43.8% of respondents said that sputum collection is delivered in the unit and only 12.5% performed routine educational activities. The actions taken by CHA are limited to interventions aimed at the patient, with little integration in prevention activities within the family.