Primary Prison Care Teams and tuberculosis notification in Rio Grande do Sul/Brazil

Abstract

Abstract This paper aims to describe the implementation process of the Prison Primary Care Teams in Rio Grande do Sul, the frequency of tuberculosis notifications in people deprived of liberty, and their chronological relationship. This documentary research is nested in a descriptive cross-sectional study of historical series. We analyzed the decrees on the qualification of Prison Primary Care Teams, the number, and the year of notification of tuberculosis cases from the National System of Notifiable Diseases from 2014 to 2020. The state of Rio Grande do Sul pioneered prison health municipalization and shared financing, which resulted in the implementation of 45 teams, covering approximately 54.5% of people deprived of liberty a closed regime. The teams notified 5,175 cases of tuberculosis from 2014 to 2020, with a progressive increase in the notification of cases and the implementation of new teams. The strategy of implementing Prison Primary Care Teams driven by the National Comprehensive Health Care Policy for People Deprived of Liberty in the Prison System was crucial for increasing TB diagnosis, notification, and control in Rio Grande do Sul.