Awareness and attitude of TB amongst undergraduates at the Rivers State University

Briggs NCT 1, Eli S 2, *, Nnoka VN 3, Tee GP 4, Wekere FCC 1, Emeghara G 4, Daka IR 3 and Iyama AC 5

1 Department of Community Medicine, Rivers State University.
2 Mother, Baby and Adolescent Care Global Foundation.
3 Department of Pharmacology, Rivers State University.
4 Department of Human Physiology, Rivers State University.
5 Department of Surgery, Rivers State University Teaching Hospital.
 
Research Article
International Journal of Science and Research Archive, 2021, 04(01), 179–184.
Article DOI: 10.30574/ijsra.2021.4.1.0195
Publication history: 
Received on 07 November 2021; revised on 18 December 2021; accepted on 20 December 2021
 
Abstract: 
Background:Creating awareness of TB amongst undergraduates of institutions of higher learning cannot be over emphasized. Health care delivery can be disseminated outside the walls of the hospital indirectly through undergraduates of higher learning by providing relevant information about disease condition, in this scenario TB in focus.
Aim:To determine the awareness and attitude ofTB amongst undergraduates at the Rivers State University.
Method:This was a cross-sectional study of 311 undergraduates at the Rivers State University. Permission to conduct the study was granted by the Provost of the College of Medicine, Rivers State University. Informed consent was obtained from the respondents. The data collected was analysed using SPSS version 25.
Results:Three hundred and eleven respondents participated in the study. There were 186 (60%) males and 125 (40%) females. The mean age was 24years; 285(91.6%) were aware of TB; 251(80.7%) of relations of respondents had open TB of which 40 (12.9%) were treated;36 (11.5%) had contact tracing for TB, while 172 (55.3%) were aware of Direct Observe Therapy (DOT) for the treatment of TB.
Conclusion: The study revealed that the awareness of TB amongst undergraduates at Rivers State University was 91.6%; 80.7% of the relatives of the respondents of the undergraduates had open TB of which only 12.9% were treated and 11.5% had contact tracing; 55.3% were aware of DOT. There is need to encourage persons with TB to receive treatment.
 
Keywords: 
Awareness; Attitude; Undergraduate; TB; Rivers State University
 
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