Access to diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis in a state capital in northeast Brazil

This cross-sectional descriptive study aimed to evaluate access to diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis by the Family Health Strategy in Teresina. Data were collected through structured interview of 86 patients with tuberculosis in the period from March to May 2010. Of the respondents, 52.3% attended the nearest clinic to their home; 75.6% reported having no difficulty in getting to the clinic. In 62.8% of cases, treatment was self-administered for the first two months. Most patients had to visit the service three or more times before being attended for the first time, and evaluated the health team’s work as fair. In the present study, medication was predominantly self-administered. Therefore, how care was organized did not constitute a determinant factor in ensuring access to early diagnosis and appropriate treatment.