Permanence of professionals who work in the Tuberculosis Control Program

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Tuberculosis Control

Background:

• Tuberculosis remains a significant public health challenge globally.
• Effective tuberculosis control programs rely on consistent staffing in Basic Health Units.
• High professional turnover can disrupt program continuity and patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the length of stay of healthcare professionals within the Tuberculosis Control Program.
• To identify potential factors influencing professional retention in Basic Health Units in Rio de Janeiro.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study conducted in eight Health Units in the Maré Complex, Rio de Janeiro.
• Interviews with physicians, nurses, nursing technicians, and Community Health Agents.
• Statistical analysis using Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's tests with Bonferroni correction.

Main Results:

• A significant difference was observed in the length of work among health units (p=0.0005909).
• A significant difference was also found in professional dwell time (p=0.0003598).
• The study indicated a low length of stay for professionals in Basic Health Units.

Conclusions:

• Low professional retention is a notable issue in Basic Health Units.
• This high turnover presents challenges for effective tuberculosis control at the local level.
• Further research is needed to understand and address the causes of low professional length of stay.