title: Tuberculosis clinical units improve contact tracing.
abstract: The Barcelona Tuberculosis Programme was established in 1987, and in 2007 five tuberculosis (TB) clinical units were created to improve the follow-up of cases and contacts. This included the designation of a nurse for case management.
  
  
  
  To assess the impact of the TB clinical units on the screening programme for TB contacts.
  
  
  
  Before-after population-based study before (2003-2007) and after (2008-2013) the creation of the clinical units. To determine which factors were related to contact tracing, we fitted a multivariate logistic regression model to estimate odds ratios (OR) with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
  
  
  
  Following the creation of the clinical units, the proportion of prescriptions for latent tuberculous infection among contacts in the clinical units increased from 40.7% to 57.4% (P < 0.001), and treatment adherence from 75.9% to 80.3% (P = 0.035). One factor associated with contact tracing was receiving care after the creation of the clinical units (2008-2013) (OR 1.2, 95%CI 1.0-1.3). During the second period, receiving care outside the clinical units reduced the probability of contact tracing (OR 0.7, 95%CI 0.5-0.9).
  
  
  
  The creation of the TB clinical units represents an organisational improvement for the study and management of contacts of patients with TB.
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology Service, Public Health Agency of Barcelona, Barcelona.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brugueras
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology Service, Public Health Agency of Barcelona, Barcelona, Centros de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Madrid.
authors.forename: À
authors.initials: À
authors.lastname: Orcau
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology Service, Public Health Agency of Barcelona, Barcelona, Centros de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Madrid, Tuberculosis Investigation Unit of Barcelona, Barcelona.
authors.forename: J-P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Millet
authors.affiliation: Barcelona Health Consortium, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Espinosa
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology Service, Public Health Agency of Barcelona, Barcelona.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Andrés
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology Service, Public Health Agency of Barcelona, Barcelona.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gorrindo
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology Service, Public Health Agency of Barcelona, Barcelona, Centros de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Madrid, Tuberculosis Investigation Unit of Barcelona, Barcelona.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Caylà
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016358:Contact Tracing; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007538:Isoniazid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D055985:Latent Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012307:Risk Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D007538:Isoniazid