Tuberculosis in international immigrants: Profile and vulnerability of cases residing in the municipality of São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

Objective To analyze the profile of immigrants with tuberculosis (TB) and to identify the associated vulnerability characteristics. Methods A cross-sectional study which used TB-WEB data from cases residing in São Paulo in 2016 (203 immigrants and 6,069 non-immigrants). The variables were analyzed using prevalence ratio and confidence intervals. Results Among the immigrant cases, 67% were Bolivians. When compared to non-immigrants, immigrants were younger and frequently indigenous or presenting yellow ethnicity. They were also associated with a higher education level. We observed less immigrants having extrapulmonary TB and comorbidities, such as HIV/AIDS, diabetes mellitus, or drug use. Compared to cured cases, immigrants were not associated with treatment default and death, but they were associated with transfer to another state/country. Conclusions Younger individuals and higher education levels were identified among immigrants, as well as a lower occurrence of comorbidities and drug use. It is believed that these results have led immigrants to more favorable outcomes of TB treatment.

Inequities between migrants and non-migrants with TB: Surveillance evidence from the Brazilian border State of Roraima

“…The outcomes measured in this study showed a lower percentage of cure than recommended by the World Health Organization - WHO - (at least 85% of patients cured) [ 22 ] and a percentage of dropout higher than the goal established by the WHO (at most 5% of treatment dropouts) [ 22 ] in both migrants and non-migrants. A previous study conducted in the northern region of Brazil showed similar results for the general population [ 29 ] as well as one conducted in the Southeast region in migrants and non-migrants with TB [ 30 ]. All these results seem to point to operational failures in the provision of intervention and services aimed at the clinical management of TB in different contexts of the country.…”