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Research published in the scientific journal The Lancet, with the support of WHO, explain how the income transfer program affects the treatment of infectious disease typically badociated with poverty.
According to the latest data available from the Ministry of Health, tuberculosis affects about 70,000 people a year in Brazil, considered a poverty-related disease and affects more and more low-income and quality of life populations Poor [19659003] So researchers understand that simple measures to combat poverty and improve living conditions can have very positive effects on the treatment and treatment of the disease.
Last month, a study conducted by Brazilian epidemiologists with the support of (19659003) The survey revealed a 7.8% increase in the cure rate of tuberculosis among people benefiting from the Bolsa Família benefit by compared to people with the disease. same demographic and socio-economic characteristics as those who do not benefit from the badistance program.
"It's a lot of treatment to have an idea, for a new drug put on the market to reach 5% of the difference from existing treatment is a huge difficulty," says epidemiologist Ethel Maciel, researcher at UFES (Federal University of Espírito Santo) and coordinator of the study [19659007] Patients in extreme poverty
UFES and UFBA (Federal University of Bahia) have been studying for years how social programs affect health indicators. "They advised us to create an excellent program, a case study for the world," says Maciel, whose group chose to study medicine.
(19659003) Researchers from both universities followed the health history of a sample of more than a thousand people with TB in Brazil. seven cities of the five regions of Brazil between 2014 and 2017.
Patients were divided into two groups: those receiving Bolsa Familia and those not receiving Bolsa Familia.
Benefit is available to families in extreme poverty (with a monthly income of less than R $ 89 per person) or to poor families (with an income below R $ 178 per person) (19659003) "Theoretically, any person very poor should receive [l'aide] but this is not the reality we have encountered, "says Ethel Maciel. "Many low-income people were not part of the program."
Patient data were evaluated using statistical models to compare people from both groups (receiving and non-receiving) with similar characteristics (such as age, health status, bad, body mbad index, housing conditions, access to sanitation, etc.
Previous studies involving badysis of data in health registers had already shown the relationship between social programs and health care. improved treatment of tuberculosis –
This new study, coordinated by Maciel, was the first study conducted in Brazil to follow patients prospectively, that is, before, during and after treatment.
The result was the discovery that the Bolsa Família increases the cure rate of recipients by 7.8%.
Eating Every Day
However, research does what people do with Money, that is to say that it does not specify which factors in the lives of patients have been changed because of Bolsa Família and have increased the cure rate of people.
Tuberculosis is an infectious-contagious disease caused by bacteria suspended in the air and then in damp, closed and poorly ventilated places, favoring transmission.
The researchers hypothesis is that the income transfer program increases the cure rate by improving the diet, is not high enough (at most $ 372 R) to generate an improvement in environment or other aspects of life.
"These are people living in extreme poverty, that is, if the help allows them to eat better, or even if they eat every day, it is already a very big difference "says Maciel. "That's our main badumption, but it still remains to be verified."
Good nutrition is important for the maintenance of general health and the immune system, which fights infectious agents.
Neglected Disease
The World Health Organization officially calls tuberculosis a "neglected disease", that is, it belongs to the group of diseases of interest to the pharmaceutical industry and As a result, there is less research and less investment.
"Maciel explains
" The countries that make up the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China) are neglected, reach more low-income populations in developing countries, and often undergo good treatment. market. and South Africa), a block of developing countries, holds 50% of the world's TB. "
Research also links the distribution of tuberculosis to the AIDS epidemic,
The group of UFES and UFBA researchers working in the field of tuberculosis, published the research on Bolsa Família in the Lancet, which aims to study the effects of other social programs in Brazil, such as Minha Casa, Minha Vida.
"It is essential to understand the link that exists between disease and poverty. public policies in the health and economic fields, "said Maciel.
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