[Using treatment compliance to determine the under-notification of tuberculosis in a health region for the years 2007-2009].

Introduction: To determine the annual incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in the health region of Lleida (RS) through the reported cases, and/or dispensing of the treatment drugs, as well as the level of compliance, based on the prescription drugs dispensed.

Methods: Descriptive study of incidence based on reported cases of TB and TB drug dispensing (ATB) in the RS of Lleida, Catalonia in the period 2007-2009.

Results: The incidence in the Health Region between 2007 and 2009 ranged between 38 to 29 cases per 100,000 population. The majority (72.6%) of cases were notified, while the rest were detected by identifying the treatment drugs dispensed in pharmacies. There was a higher incidence of TB among the immigrant population. Spanish-born patients had a higher percentage of compliance (75.8% versus 61.2%). Among the immigrant groups, those from North Africa had the lowest compliance (43.7%), and those from Latin America had the highest compliance (82.4%).

Conclusions: The incidence of TB in our health region has declined between 2007 and 2009, with the highest incidence among the immigrant population. There is a high amount of non-notified cases of tuberculosis. The Spanish-born population has a greater adherence to treatment. There is a lot of work to be done on disease notification, particularly among primary care doctors, as well as information on treatment adherence for the immigrant population. It would be interesting to study the socioeconomic factors that could determine the incidence and the poor adherence to treatment by immigrant populations.