Tuberculosis en migrantes y no migrantes en el Servicio de Salud Metropolitano Norte. Chile 2015-2016

Abstract

Introduction: Previous reports have indicated that migrants living under vulnerable conditions in host countries tend to replicate the endemic circumstances of their countries of origin, leading to the formation of closed, marginalized, and overcrowded communities. This study aims to describe the cases of tuberculosis (TB) among immigrants and non-immigrants treated within the SSMN program. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study design was employed. Data from 357 TB cases of in­dividuals aged 18 and older, treated at Municipal Family Health Centers during the years 2015-2016, were analyzed. Information was obtained through the transparency law. An “immigrant” was defined as any individual whose country of birth was not Chile, whereas “non-immigrants” were those born in Chile. The independent variables considered were sex, age, district, health insurance, type of TB, and diagnostic confirmation method. Results: Of the total cases, 32.2% were migrants, of whom 81.9% were from Peru, followed by Bolivia (7.6%) and Haiti (5.7%). The lethality rate among immigrants was 1.7%, compared to 5.4% among non-immigrants. Within the immigrant group, a significant association was found between residing in the districts of Independencia (p = 0.023) and Recoleta (p = 0.001), not having health insurance (OR:10.2; p = 0.010), and being a TB contact (OR:4.04; p = 0.041). Protective factors included being over 65 years old (OR:0.08; p = 0.010) and alcoholism (OR:0.17; p = 0.010). Conclusions: Migrants and non-migrants exhibit distinct TB profiles. These differences underscore the necessity for the implementation of specific early diagnostic interventions in the management of tuberculosis for both immigrant and non-immigrant populations, alongside improvements in social and occupational conditions.