Sociodemographic factors associated with the success or failure of anti-tuberculosis treatment in the Chiapas Highlands, Mexico, 2019-2022

PLoS One. 2024 Jan 26;19(1):e0296924. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296924. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

Objective: To estimate the incidence rate of tuberculosis (TB) in the Highlands (Tsotsil-Tseltal) region of Chiapas and to analyze sociodemographic factors that might influence the success of anti-TB treatment from the period of January 2019 to June 2022.

Methods: Retrospective study in which the TB databases of the National Epidemiological Surveillance System (SINAVE) were analyzed. TB incidence rates were calculated based on the number of registered TB cases and estimated annual populations. The success-failure of anti-TB treatment was analyzed according to sociodemographic indicators, degree of concentration of indigenous population of the municipality of residence and admission to SINAVE.

Results: Two hundred thirty-three cases were analyzed. The variables associated to a lower success rate of treatment against TB were: living in a municipality with high-very high concentration of indigenous population, being indigenous, having a primary school education or lower, and agricultural occupation. The number of TB diagnosed from 2020-2022 and the incidence rates from 2020-2021 decreased significantly compared to 2019.

Conclusions: It is necessary to strengthen the follow-up of TB cases in the region, mainly in areas with high-very high indigenous concentration, in people with low levels of education and engaged in agricultural work.

MeSH terms

  • Antitubercular Agents / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Mexico / epidemiology
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Sociodemographic Factors*
  • Tuberculosis* / drug therapy
  • Tuberculosis* / epidemiology

Substances

  • Antitubercular Agents

Grants and funding

The study was carried out with support from Partners in Health Sucursal Perú and CONAHCYT through the Cristina Gordillo-Marroquín postdoctoral fellowship (I1200/320/2022). The funders did not participate in any way in the design of the study, the collection and analysis of data, the decision to publish the work, or the preparation of the manuscript.