Temporal analysis of leprosy in the metropolitan region of Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil: 2001-2013

The study carried out a temporal analysis and description of the epidemiological profile of leprosy in the metropolitan region of Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil, from 2001 to 2013. It was a temporal study based on secondary data from the Notifiable Diseases Information System (SINAN). In this study, the variables were analyzed: municipality of residence; number of cases diagnosed per year from 2001 to 2013; age; schooling; race / skin color; operational classification (paucibacillary or multibacillary); clinical form (indeterminate, tuberculoid, dimorphic, virchowian); and degree of disability, assessed at the time of notification and upon medical discharge: Degrees 0, I and II. The data were plotted in a spreadsheet (Microsoft Excel ©) and subsequently analyzed according to the descriptive statistical measure of association and the adhesion test was measured by the Bioestat 5.0 software. For the time trend analysis, it adopted the simple polynomial regression model, the variable time centralization to avoid autocorrelation between the terms of the equations. It was detected a total of 3,519 cases in Aracaju region. The predominant form paucibacillar. Clinical tuberculoid form of leprosy was the most frequent. The temporal analysis showed a declining trend to statistical significance (p <0.05). The multibacillary predominated in the municipalities of Barra dos Coqueiros and Our Lady of Socorro. The results showed that the population did not have access to adequate health program and the Ministry of Health's strategies did not meet the goal of WHO for the elimination of leprosy.