Abstract:

Objective: To explore the awareness of core knowledge of tuberculosis prevention and treatment among adolescents in Fujian Province, and its impact on the risk of patient delay. Methods: Stratified random cluster sampling method was used, 8624 students from 38 schools were selected in Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Quanzhou, Sanming, Putian, Nanping, Longyan, Ningde, and Pingtan in Fujian Province from October to December, 2021. The questionnaire was confirmed according to Technical Guide for Tuberculosis Prevention and Control in China and experts’ discussion, involved core knowledge of tuberculosis prevention and treatment and patient-delay risk. A total of 8624 questionnaires were distributed, of which 8557 were valid, and the efficiency was 99.22%. The awareness rate and score of core prevention knowledge of tuberculosis, risk of patient delay were collected and the influencing factors of the patient-delay risk was analyzed using logistic regression. Results: Among 8557 subjects, the total awareness rate of core knowledge of tuberculosis prevention and treatment was 77.94% (46684/59899), the awareness rate of pulmonary tuberculosis is a chronic infectious disease was the highest (89.55% (7663/8557)), and the awareness rate of have suspected tuberculosis symptoms or confirmed tuberculosis should actively report and take classes without illness was the lowest (65.57% (5611/8557)). About 533 (6.23%) subjects who had risk of patient delay chose more than 14 days when asked about how long it would take to see a doctor if coughing, sweating, fever, or weight loss occurred. The score of core knowledge of tuberculosis prevention and treatment (M(Q₁,Q₃)) of all subjects was 6 (5,6), the score of subjects who were at risk of patient delay was 6 (4,6), which was statistically lower that of those who without patient-delay risk (6 (5,6), Z=5.583, P<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that senior high school students were 1.663 times more likely to have patient-delay risk than junior high school students (OR=1.663, 95%CI:1.039-2.704), students who did not know that pulmonary tuberculosis is a chronic infectious disease, suspected tuberculosis should go to designated hospitals, or tuberculosis is mostly curable were 1.702 times (OR=1.702, 95%CI:1.328-2.161), 1.514 times (OR=1.514, 95%CI:1.251-1.827), and 1.405 times (OR=1.405, 95%CI:1.167-1.688) more likely to have patients delay risk than who did know that, respectively. Conclusion: The awareness of core knowledge of tuberculosis prevention and treatment among adolescents in Fujian Province was good, but still need to be further improved. The awareness of core knowledge of tuberculosis prevention and treatment among those who at risk of patient delay is poor. Strengthening education on tuberculosis prevention and treatment knowledge among adolescents, especially senior high school students, improving the awareness of tuberculosis, and guiding students with suspected symptoms to go to designated hospitals could help reduce the risk of patient delay.

Key words: Tuberculosis, Preventive medicine, Health education, Student, Questionnaire investigation