Follow-up of patients diagnosed with and treated for tuberculosis in Brazil: financial burden on the household.

Objective: To evaluate the implications of the proportion of annual family income spent in the pre- and post-diagnosis periods in tuberculosis patients followed for after at least one year after completing tuberculosis treatment in Brazil.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of tuberculosis patients followed for at least one year after completing tuberculosis treatment in five Brazilian capitals (one in each region of the country).

Results: A total of 62 patients were included in the analysis.

Cervical cancer screening in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review of economic evaluation studies.

Economic assessments are relevant to support the decision to incorporate more cost-effective strategies to reduce Cervical Cancer (CC) mortality. This systematic review analyzes the economic evaluation studies of CC prevention strategies (HPV DNA-based tests and conventional cytology) in low- and middle-income countries. Medline, EMBASE, CRD, and LILACS were searched for economic evaluation studies that reported cost and effectiveness measures of HPV DNA-based tests for CC screening and conventional cytology in women, without age, language, or publication date restrictions.

Cost-effectiveness of QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube versus tuberculin skin test for diagnosis and treatment of Latent Tuberculosis Infection in primary health care workers in Brazil.

Objectives: The goal of this study was to perform a cost-effectiveness analysis from the public health system perspective, comparing five strategies for Latent Tuberculosis Infection (LTBI) diagnosis in primary health care workers in Brazil.

Design: Analytical model for decision making, characterized by cost-effectiveness analysis.

Setting: Primary Care Level, considering primary health care workers in Brazil.

Comparison of interferon-γ release assay to two cut-off points of tuberculin skin test to detect latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in primary health care workers.

Background: An interferon-γ release assay, QuantiFERON-TB (QFT) test, has been introduced an alternative test for the diagnosis of latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection (LTBI). Here, we compared the performance of QFT with tuberculin skin test (TST) measured at two different cut-off points among primary health care work (HCW) in Brazil.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among HCWs in four Brazilian cities with a known history of high incidence of TB.