C6. Miséria e tuberculose. Uma realidade actual

Tuberculosis is a major public health problem with a crescent social impact. In our social political situation we assist to an increase of precarious jobs and the appearance of social groups without any social protection in case of disease.A questionnaire was elaborated to study social, familiar, economical and habitation characteristics of tuberculosis patients in treatment in the CDP. The questionnaire was applied in an alleatory way to 50 patients who began treatment from September 2002 to May 2003.94% of patients are Portuguese, 2% are from Ukraine, Angola, and Venezuela.Most of them are married (44%), and predominates families of nuclear typology (50%), constituted by 2 (26%) and 3(30%) elements. About 12% live in homes like “islands” (several families in the same house) without bathroom or out of the habitation, 10% don’t have canalized water and 8% don’t have external ventilation at home. Most of them present low scholar studies, 8% are analphabetic, 16% just know how to read and write, 24% frequented 1º basic cycle and only 6% frequented university.There is a predominance of professions without qualification and bad remuneration. The majority have low monthly income, 56% of familial aggregates subsist with a monthly income lower than the Lower Minimal Income provided by the State (143,65 Euros), 22% of the patients were unable to work without any possible help from Social security.The absence of an economical income, low scholar education, bad professional qualification, unemployment, and precarious employment, lack of social protection are actual realities. Demographic, social and familiar changing’s that have been developing in Portuguese Society, brings new necessities