Abstract:

Objective To investigate the awareness of knowledge on tuberculosis (TB) prevention and treatment among elderly close contacts with TB patients, so as to provide evidences for formulating the TB prevention and treatment measures among these people. Methods Elderly close contacts (age ≥60 years) with TB patients hospitalized Hunan Chest Hospital from June to December 2019 were selected as respondents for a questionnaire survey, which used a self-designed questionnaire including the general condition of the respondent, awareness of core knowledge on TB prevention and treatment, and accesses to these knowledge as the survey items. A total of 199 questionnaires were distributed and 193 were recovered after excluding the invalid ones, with the validity of 97.0%. The awareness of core knowledge on TB prevention and treatment among the respondents and its influencing factors were analyzed. Results The 193 subjects were mainly primary school educated (47.2% (91/193)), and their occupations were mainly farmers (62.2% (120/193)); the total awareness rate of 7 TB prevention and control core knowledge was 56.3% (760/1351). Among the seven core knowledge of TB prevention and control, the single awareness rate of “TB is a serious infectious disease that endangers human health”, “cough and expectoration for more than two weeks should be suspected to have TB” was higher (74.1% (143/193) and 60.1% (116/193), respectively). The single awareness rate of “TB diagnosis method” and “TB prevention and treatment of designated medical institutions to check whether there is a policy of remission knowledge” were the lowest, both of which were 47.7% (92/193). Univariate analysis showed that the score (M(Q₁, Q₃)) of TB prevention and control core knowledge among college education or above was 85.7 (74.9, 85.7), which was significantly higher than that among primary school education (57.1 (28.5, 85.7)); the score among those who obtained knowledge through publicity activities (85.7 (67.8, 100.0)) was significantly higher than those who did not (57.1 (28.5, 85.7)), and the difference was statistically significant (H=9.87, P=0.020; Z=-3.70, P=0.000). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that compared with subjects with primary school education, those with college education or above had a higher awareness level of TB core knowledge (OR (95%CI)=7.44 (1.81-30.58)); those with knowledge acquired through publicity activities had a higher awareness level of TB core knowledge (OR (95%CI)=3.71 (1.68-8.19)). Conclusion The awareness rate of knowledge on TB prevention and treatment is low among elderly close contacts with TB patients. Educational attainment and access to knowledge are the influencing factors for awareness of knowledge on TB prevention and treatment among elderly close contacts with TB patients.

Key words: Tuberculosis, Contact tracing, Aged, Health knowledge, attitudes, practice, Questionnaires, Factor analysis, statistical