The CENDES/PAHO method of health planning was used in the area of Araraquara, S. Paulo (Brazil). The cost of tuberculosis was determined using normative data; in order to test the influence of changes in the number of persons eligible for BCG vaccination, tuberculosis incidence and efficacy of BCG, simulated data were also used. Local epidemiological indices were used in order to plan antituberculosis activities. A great diversity of results showed up: costs rated by application of normative model were eight times higher than costs calculated by considering local epidemiological characteristics.
Health planning; CENDES/PAHO method; Normative model; Planning area; Epidemiological characteristics
