Social Determinants of Non-adherence to Tuberculosis Treatment in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

MARÍA BELÉN HERRERO; SILVINA ARROSSI; SILVINA RAMOS; JOSE UELERES BRAGA

CADERNOS DE SAúDE PúBLICA

CADERNOS SAUDE PUBLICA

Lugar: Rio de Janeiro; Año: 2015 vol. 31 p. 1983 - 1994

0102-311X

The study aimed to identify individual and area-level determinants of non-adherence to tuberculosis treatment in selected districts from the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires, in Argentina. We conducted a cross-sectional study with a hierarchical model. The analysis of determinants was performed using logistic regression on two levels, based on primary and secondary data. The male patients had higher risk of non-adherence to treatment. Otherwise, lack of water in the home increased the risk of non-adherence, as well as heads of households without medical insurance and patients using more than one means of transport to reach the health center. Areas with higher proportion of households with natural gas network had a higher risk of non-adherence, as areas with a higher proportion of households with UBN by subsistence capacity and areas with higher proportion of households without flushing toilets or sewer system. Our results show that social and economic factors have influence over tuberculosis treatment adherence both at the individual and area levels.