Evaluation of the attributes of the national electronic tuberculosis registration system in Argentina according to the CDC methodology in 2019-2023

Abstract

 INTRODUCTION: The registration of information is a fundamental component in the care of patients with tuberculosis (TB) and the control of the disease. The objective was to evaluate attributes of the national TB notification system in Argentina following the methodology proposed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the USA. METHODS: Indicators were constructed to evaluate quality, timeliness and positive predictive value (PPV), working with the information recorded for all TB cases reported during 2019-2022 in the National Health Surveillance System (SNVS). Surveys were carried out to assess the perception of users of the system regarding its simplicity, flexibility, acceptability, usefulness and stability in health facilities in the cities of Salta and Santa Fe and locations of the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires (AMBA), and information available in the facilities during 2023 was collected to assess sensitivity. RESULTS: The quality of the recorded information did not meet the requirements to achieve the proposed standards. The PPV for TB cases was 89.7%. The quality of the system was evaluated as good; simplicity, flexibility, stability and acceptability, as average. The sensitivity was 97.7%. DISCUSSION: The national electronic TB registration system is a valuable tool for surveillance, but there is room for improvement in its design and use by users.