[Functioning of the concept of vulnerability to tuberculosis amongst university students]

The objective of this study was to identify aspects that characterize the vulnerability to tuberculosis in resident students at the Residential Rooms of the University of Sao Paulo (CRUSP). The data relative to individual vulnerability were collected by using a questionnaire during the period of October to November, 2002. The theoretical reference and the interpretation frame to analize the issue of tuberculosis were given in the theoretical frame of vulnerability .The study sample completed 106 students being 69.8% graduated students and 30.2% postgraduated students. The proportion of emigrants (internal and external) reached 43.4%. Seventy-nine students (74.5%) answered that the disease can be cured. Nearly 60 (56.6%) answered that they did not know the causal agent of the disease and 72 (67.9%) said that they had already heard about tuberculosis, and for 5 of them (6.9%) it happened at health institutions. It was also asked if they knew where to ask in order to get tests to verify the presence of the disease and 48 (45.3%) did not know. Although some results are positive it is identified the individual vulnerability of the students especially as they are apparently a well differentiated group, because in thesis they would have more favourable conditions to acced to the information related to the disease.