Original Research Article
Year: 2016 | Month: April-June | Volume: 1 | Issue: 2 | Pages: 57-69
Pulmonary Tuberculosis Preventive Practices and Its Determinants among Residents in Communities in Orlu, Imo State, Nigeria
Chukwuma B. Duru1, Anthony C. Iwu2, Kenechi A Uwakwe1, Kevin C. Diwe1, Irene A. Merenu1, Henry N. Chineke1, Chioma A. Adaeze3
1Department of Community Medicine, Imo State University, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria.
2Dept of Community Medicine, Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Orlu, Imo State, Nigeria.
3RICO Pharmaceutical, Onitsha, Anambra, Nigeria.
Corresponding Author: Chukwuma B. Duru
ABSTRACT
Background: Pulmonary Tuberculosis (PTB) is a global infectious disease with significant public health consequences and despite the fact that it is curable; PTB control still poses serious challenges to World’s population health. It now ranks alongside Human immunodeficiency virus/Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) as a leading cause of mortality worldwide, almost killing twice as more men than women in 2014 alone.
Aim: To assess the knowledge, attitudes, preventive practices and its associated factors in the control of pulmonary tuberculosis in communities in Orlu Local Government Area (LGA), Imo State.
Methods: The study design was a cross sectional descriptive type involving 425 participants who were selected using a multi stage sampling technique. Data was collected using a pretested, semi structured, interviewer administered questionnaire. Data was analyzed using computer software (SPSS-IBM version 20). Data was presented in frequency tables and summary indices while chi-square was used to test associations between variables. P- Value was ≤ 0.05.
Results: Despite 100 percent awareness about pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), only 26% and 31% respectively knew that a bacterial organism causes tuberculosis, and overcrowding, facilitates its transmission. The proportion with good knowledge, attitude, and practice about PTB control were, 72.5%, 14.5%, and 32.2% respectively. There was a statistically significant relationships between the level of preventive practices and knowledge (p<0.0001), attitudes (p<0.0001), age (p<0.05), gender (p<0.05), marital status (p<0.0001), religion (p<0.0001), occupation (p<0.0001) and gender of the household head (p<0.0001).
Conclusion: Improving not only the individual, but the community’s understanding of PTB will instill a culture and encourage compliance in the practice of preventive measures in the control of PTB.
Keywords: Knowledge, attitudes, preventive practices, tuberculosis, Owerri, Nigeria.