Performance indicators of DOT at home for tuberculosis control in a large city, SP, Brazil.

ABSTRACT

The study had the objective to analyze the performance of the health services that implement the Directly Observed Therapy at home for tuberculosis control. This study analyzed four Tuberculosis Control Programs, referred to as A, B, C, and D, using the following indicators Resource use; Performance quickness; Monitoring medication administration; Time spent per home visit. Data were collected during visits to 47 patients receiving DOT at home. Resource use was higher in program B (91.3%); program A showed quicker performance (5.8) and more visits during which medication administration was monitored (77.4%); program C had the longest time spent per home visit (14.7 minutes) and program A the shortest (10.4 minutes). The best or worst performance numerically expresses how resources are being used and whether the observation of medication intake is being achieved.