Profile of re-entry cases after abandonment of treatment of tuberculosis in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

Abstract Background Tuberculosis is still a major public health problem and has been worrying health authorities. Tuberculosis is directly related to social determinants, a fact that has been involving governments with intersectoral actions to reduce the vulnerability of the population to health. Objective To describe the profile of re-entry cases after abandonment of tuberculosis treatment in the city of Salvador, Bahia, from 2006 to 2015, comprising sociodemographic, clinical and behavioral factors of the individuals. Method This is a descriptive and exploratory spatio-temporal ecological study performed through secondary data available in the Brazilian Notifiable Diseases Information System. The data obtained were stored and consolidated for calculation of the absolute and relative frequency variables, re-entry incidence rate after abandonment, and Spearman correlation. Then, the information obtained was used to make graphs and tables. Results There were 1,611 re-entry cases with predominance of males, 30 to 49 years old, self-declared brown skin color, and the level of complete fundamental education, with tuberculosis presenting as pulmonary and HIV negative. The health districts of Cabula/Beiru, Subúrbio Ferroviário, and São Caetano/Valéria presented higher incidence rates. Conclusion The profile found is consistent with the individuals with the highest incidence rates of the disease, as well as higher rates of tuberculosis mortality throughout the country. The education level of the individual was presented as a crucial factor for greater re-entry to treatment.