Tuberculosis contact tracing: confidentiality, stigma, and collective protection
Resumo
Tuberculosis remains a major public health challenge, particularly among vulnerable populations. Contact tracing and preventive treatment are essential to interrupt transmission, yet they also raise ethical dilemmas regarding confidentiality and stigma. This study reviewed and discussed these from a bioethical perspective. A narrative literature review was conducted in PubMed, SciELO, LILACS, and Google Scholar, including publications from 2015 to 2024 that examined ethical aspects of tuberculosis contact tracing. Nine studies met the inclusion criteria and indicated that, despite its relevance for disease control, contact tracing may expose individuals and reinforce stigmatization. Fear of discrimination contributed to withholding information and poor adherence to preventive treatment. Mitigation strategies include health education, empathetic communication, informed consent, privacy protection, and ethical training for health professionals. Ethical tuberculosis control requires balancing collective protection with respect for autonomy and human dignity.
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Referências
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Este trabalho está licenciado sob uma licença Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
