ABSTRACT
Objective:
to understand the aspects that influence the access to the diagnosis of tuberculosis. from the point of view of health professionals.
Method:
a exploratory descriptive, qualitative study. The data were collected between June and July 2013, through semi-structured interviews, with 20 nurses and ten physicians in charge of tuberculosis cases in the municipalities belonging to the 15th Health Region of Paraná (Brazil) and subsequently submitted to content analysis, thematic modality.
Results:
three categories emerged which show the factors that positively influence access to diagnosis, the difficulty in this access and the characteristics of the organization of this service. It also points out that the Estratégia Saúde da Família’s performance favors early diagnosis, although professionals report difficulties in identifying patients with signs and symptoms of the disease, either due to lack of preparation or lack of knowledge about the disease.
Conclusion:
therefore, it is considered essential to inform the community about the disease and to strengthen multi-professional work.
DESCRIPTORS:
Tuberculosis; Diagnosis; Nursing; Primary health care