EVALUATING TUBERCULOSIS (TB) KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, AND PRACTICES AMONG STAFF AT RURAL HEALTH CENTERS (RHCs), ISLAMABAD

Abstract

Tuberculosis is the leading infectious disease killer, with 9.4 million new cases and 1.7 million deaths annually and increasing drug-resistant TB cases. Pakistan ranks fifth in the world in terms of the prevalence of TB having 265 tuberculosis cases per 100,000 people, with 510,000 new cases and 15,000 drug-resistant cases annually. Rural Health Centers (RHCs) are crucial to the global fight against TB providing diagnosis and treatment at the primary level as rural areas have higher rates of TB. In rural Islamabad, TB treatment facilities are inadequate, and many medical staff lack the education and interpersonal skills essential for effective treatment. A structured questionnaire, modified from a study conducted in Southern Mozambique, was used to perform a cross-sectional survey. The survey was translated into Urdu and was directed at HCWs working at RHCs in Islamabad. The data was gathered from 112 participants and analyzed using SPSS software. Data of 92 HCWs was selected of which almost half had never received TB-specific training. A high degree of general TB knowledge was indicated by the average knowledge score of 15.35 out of 20. Nonetheless, notable deficiencies were detected in several domains. Most respondents recognized the significance of infection control and community participation, as evidenced by their high attitude scores. However, stigma around tuberculosis persisted as a significant problem. There were gaps in the practical understanding of TB treatment and follow-up, making the practice competency moderate. The study shows that while HCWs at RHCs in Islamabad possess a strong basic grasp of TB, there are notable gaps in their knowledge on diagnosis and treatment. Although there are many people who have positive attitudes about tuberculosis, stigma still exists. Enhancing practical skills is necessary, highlighting the need for focused training interventions and ongoing professional development. By filling in these gaps, the TB burden in Pakistan can be eventually decreased by improving TB management and control in rural areas.