[The role of health care providers in the late diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis among adults in Medellín, Colombia]. / Papel del personal de salud en el diagnóstico tardío de la tuberculosis pulmonar en adultos de Medellín, Colombia.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the role of health care providers in the delayed diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) among the adult population in a city in Colombia. METHODS: A case study of PTB diagnosis among adults in the city of Medellín, Colombia, in 2007. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews with 19 patients (11 with early diagnosis and 8 with late diagnosis), from medical records, and by a survey of PTB-related knowledge and practices among 89 doctors and nurses at health care clinics. A research workshop was held with patients to share the results and validate new categories. RESULTS: A lack of PTB knowledge and patient stereotyping were found to lead to misinterpretation of symptoms and the use of symptomatic treatments. The lack of knowledge regarding risk factors and clinical protocols made diagnosis difficult when the patient did not match the stereotype or presented with a more well-known illness. Misinformation on PTB transmission and inappropriate measures led to discriminatory practices and social isolation and only reinforced stereotypes and stigma, which in turn discouraged the quest for medical attention. CONCLUSIONS: Health care providers played a large part in the late diagnosis of PTB in the adults studied. Beliefs regarding social stigma and a lack of knowledge about the disease-shared by providers and patients-contributed to stereotyping of the illness and the disease-carrier, and limited the probability of an early diagnosis of PTB.

Papel del personal de salud en el diagnóstico tardío de la tuberculosis pulmonar en adultos de Medellín, Colombia / The role of health care providers in the late diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis among adults in Medellín, Colombia

Objetivo: Describir el papel que desempeña el personal de salud (PS) en el retraso del diagnóstico de la tuberculosis pulmonar (TBP) en la población adulta de una ciudad colombiana. Métodos: Estudio de caso sobre el diagnóstico de la TBP en adultos de la ciudad de Medellín, Colombia, en 2007. Se recogieron datos cuantitativos y cualitativos mediante entrevistas en profundidad a 19 pacientes (11 con diagnóstico oportuno y 8 con diagnóstico tardío), la revisión de sus historias clínicas y encuestas sobre los conocimientos y las prácticas relacionadas con la TBP a 89 médicos y enfermeros de 12 instituciones prestadoras de servicios de salud. Se realizó un taller investigativo con los pacientes a fin de socializar los resultados y validar las categorías emergentes. Resultados: Se observó un escaso conocimiento sobre la TBP y una imagen estereotipada de los pacientes que llevan a malinterpretar los síntomas y emplear tratamientos sintomáticos. Los insuficientes conocimientos del PS sobre los factores de riesgo y el cuadro clínico dificultaron el diagnóstico cuando el paciente no reflejaba el estereotipo o presentaba una enfermedad ya conocida. La desinformación sobre la transmisión de la TBP y la prescripción incorrecta de medidas de aislamiento propiciaron prácticas discriminatorias y aislamiento social y reforzaron los estereotipos y la estigmatización, lo que también limitó la búsqueda de ayuda médica. Conclusiones: El PS desempeñó un papel fundamental en el diagnóstico tardío de la TBP en los adultos estudiados. Las creencias asociadas con el estigma social y el insuficiente conocimiento sobre la enfermedad -compartidos por el PS y los pacientes- contribuyen a la construcción social del estereotipo de la enfermedad y el enfermo y reducen las posibilidades de llegar a un diagnóstico oportuno de la TBP.

Objective: To describe the role of health care providers in the delayed diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) among the adult population in a city in Colombia. Methods: A case study of PTB diagnosis among adults in the city of Medellín, Colombia, in 2007. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews with 19 patients (11 with early diagnosis and 8 with late diagnosis), from medical records, and by a survey of PTB-related knowledge and practices among 89 doctors and nurses at health care clinics. A research workshop was held with patients to share the results and validate new categories. Results: A lack of PTB knowledge and patient stereotyping were found to lead to misinterpretation of symptoms and the use of symptomatic treatments. The lack of knowledge regarding risk factors and clinical protocols made diagnosis difficult when the patient did not match the stereotype or presented with a more well-known illness. Misinformation on PTB transmission and inappropriate measures led to discriminatory practices and social isolation and only reinforced stereotypes and stigma, which in turn discouraged the quest for medical attention. Conclusions: Health care providers played a large part in the late diagnosis of PTB in the adults studied. Beliefs regarding social stigma and a lack of knowledge about the disease-shared by providers and patients-contributed to stereotyping of the illness and the disease-carrier, and limited the probability of an early diagnosis of PTB.

Tuberculosis control and managed competition in Colombia.

Law 100 introduced the Health Sector Reform in Colombia, a model of managed competition. This article addresses the effects of this model in terms of output and outcomes of TB control. Trends in main TB control indicators were analysed using secondary data sources, and 25 interviews were done with key informants from public and private insurers and provider institutions, and from the health directorate level. We found a deterioration in the performance of TB control: a decreasing number of BCG vaccine doses applied, a reduction in case finding and contacts identification, low cure rates and an increasing loss of follow up, which mainly affects poor people. Fragmentation occurred as the atomization and discontinuity of the technical processes took place, there was a lack of coordination, as well as a breakdown between individual and collective interventions, and the health information system began to disintegrate. The introduction of the Managed Competition (MC) in Colombia appeared to have adverse effects on TB control due to the dominance of the economic rationality in the health system and the weak state stewardship. Our recommendations are to restructure the reform's public health component, strengthen the technical capacity in public health of the state, mainly at the local and departmental levels, and to improve the health information system by reorienting its objectives to public health goals.