Hospital-based tuberculosis control activities in five cities of Latin America

To generate actionable insights for improving TB control in urban areas by describing the tuberculosis (TB) control activities of hospitals in five cities in Latin America.

A descriptive study of hospital-based TB control activities was conducted in 2013-2015 using a cross-sectional survey designed by the Pan American Health Organization and administered in Guatemala City, Guatemala; Guarulhos, Brazil; Bogotá, Colombia; Lima, Peru; and Asunción, Paraguay. Data were analyzed using Chi-squared, Fisher exact tests, and the Mantel-Haenszel test for Risk Ratios, as necessary (P < 0.05).

While variation among cities existed, most hospitals (91.3%) conducted acid-fast bacilli smears for TB diagnosis and had a quality control process (94.0%), followed national TB guidelines (95%), and reported TB cases to the respective health authorities (96%). Additionally, TB treatment was offered free of charge almost universally (97.1%). However, only 74.2% of hospitals were supervised by the national or local TB programs; 52.8% followed up on the outcome of referrals; and 39.1% offered full ambulatory TB treatment, with 68.7% using Directly-Observed Therapy.

The study underscored strengths and weaknesses in specific areas for TB control activities in hospitals and highlighted the importance and complexity of coordinating efforts among private and public hospitals and the various stakeholders. Local TB programs and health authorities should use these results to enhance the quality of TB-related actions in hospitals in similar settings.