Spatial distribution of tuberculosis and relationship with living conditions in an urban area of Campina Grande--2004 to 2007.

This research aimed to study the spatial distribution of tuberculosis and its relationship with living conditions in the urban area of the city of Campina Grande in the period from 2004 until 2007. It is an ecologic study which used the city's neighborhood distribution; demographic, social and economic data from year 2000 census; and the new cases of tuberculosis reported to the Disease and Reporting Information System. Georeferencing was done for the cases of tuberculosis, and disease incidence was calculated by neighborhood. Rates were softened and the Global Moran Index was calculated. Social-economic data were grouped in quartiles according to the Life Condition Index, calculating the incidence of TB in each stratum of living conditions. The results showed that the spatial distribution of tuberculosis in the city is not uniform. Grouping neighborhoods according to the Life Conditions Index revealed social differences that can justify the occurrence of higher incidence rates in the most socially and economically vulnerable regions. The best living condition stratum presented a high incidence possibly due to the underreporting of the cases of tuberculosis caused mainly by the centralization of disease control services. We hope that this study may help outline control strategies for the city of Campina Grande, from the perspective of health promotion, for a disease so socially determined, as is the case of TB.