Knowledge and practices regarding pulmonary tuberculosis among the caregivers in Selected Hospitals of Metropolitan Cities in India

Background: Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) continues to pose one of the most pressing public health challenges in India, which carries a disproportionately large share of the global TB burden.
India alone accounted for approximately 28% of all TB cases globally as per the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global TB Report 2023, recording an estimated 2.8 million new cases in 2022.
Family members and designated caregivers who support TB patients play an indispensable role in treatment adherence, infection prevention, and patient recovery. Yet, evidence consistently shows that this group remains significantly under-informed about the disease, its transmission, and the precautions required to manage it safely.
Objectives: To assess baseline knowledge and practices of caregivers regarding PTB, administer a structured planned teaching programme (PTP), and evaluate the effect of the PTP on post-intervention knowledge and practices.
Methods: A cross-sectional interventional (pre-test–post-test) design was adopted, enrolling 120 caregivers from four tertiary-care hospitals across Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, and Aurangabad through purposive sampling. A validated 30-item knowledge questionnaire and a 20-item practice checklist were used. Paired t-test and McNemar's test were applied for analysis.
Results: The mean pre-test knowledge score of 12.4 ± 3.2 improved significantly to 23.7 ± 2.8 post-intervention (p < 0.001). Practice scores rose from 9.1 ± 2.6 to 17.4 ± 2.1 out of 20 (p < 0.001). Education level, occupation, duration of caregiving, and prior TB education were significantly associated with knowledge scores (p < 0.05). 
Conclusions: The planned teaching programme substantially enhanced both knowledge and practices of caregivers concerning pulmonary tuberculosis. Structured health education should be routinely woven into TB care management at the hospital level and formally integrated within the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP).