Clinical and epidemiological aspects of tuberculosis in the Federal District (Brazil, 2006 to 2015)

Despite the low incidence rates of tuberculosis (TB) in the Federal District (FD), there are socioeconomic discrepancies allied to intense population growth in recent years, which demonstrates the need to study the trend of the disease in different regions of the FD.

To describe the trend of morbidity and mortality due to TB in the FD from 2006 to 2015.

Ecological study, with descriptive and analytical components, historical series type.

There was a decreasing trend in incidence rates (IR) (from 15.1 per 100,000 inhabitants to 11.7 per 100,000 inhabitants, r = -0.50) and in the cure rate (from 86.0% to 74.7, r = -0.91); people experiencing homelessness and incarceration have relative risks from 5 to 16 times higher than the general population; higher IR were found in Paranoá (27.5 per 100,000 inhabitants) and in Estrutural (17.3 per 100,000 inhabitants), areas with poor socioeconomic indicators and demografic explosion during the study period. A higher mean lethality rate was found in Águas Claras (8.5%) and in Lago Sul (7.0%), regions that have a high concentration of homeless and elderly people.

TB persists as an important public health problem in the FD, especially in impoverished areas, with significant population growth or a high concentration of elderly or vulnerable populations.