Knowledge, Attitude, Practices, and Determinants of Them towards Tuberculosis in Bangladesh: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Mahmud Sultan , Mohsin Md , Irfan Saddam Hossain , Muyeed Abdul , Islam Ariful 
Published: January 2022

Introduction

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that causes thousands of deaths in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is one of the high-risk countries among 30 high TB burden countries. In this study, we aimed to assess the knowledge, practices, attitudes towards TB, and the factors associated with them in the general population of Bangladesh.

Method

A web-based anonymous cross-sectional survey was conducted among the general population in Bangladesh. A comprehensive consent statement was included at the beginning of the survey by explaining the study’s intent, types of questions, anonymous and voluntary nature. Analysis was carried out using the chi-square test and univariate and multivariate logistic regression.

Results

Among 1,180 eligible respondents, 58.64% were males, and 62.37% were married. The majority of the participants (78.28%) were aged between 15 to 44 years. Overall adequate knowledge, favorable attitudes, and good practices about TB were found respectively in 47.8%, 44.75%, and 31.19% of the general population of Bangladesh. Almost the same sets of associated factors were found to influence adequate knowledge, favorable attitudes, and good practices towards TB among general people. Males, young, unmarried, respondents with higher education, and urban respondents were more likely to have adequate knowledge, favorable attitudes, and good practices towards TB.

Conclusion

Policymakers need to design programs and interventions to improve knowledge, attitudes, and good practices towards TB among the general people by focusing on vulnerable groups such as females, young and older people, people who live in the rural areas, and illiterate/less educated people.

Key Questions

What is already known?

TB is highly prevalent in Bangladesh. It is among the 30 most-affected countries globally by TB and carries almost 4% of the global TB burden.

One of the significant probable obstacles to preventing, controlling, and eliminating tuberculosis is a lack of knowledge and understanding about the disease and a negative attitude toward it. Additionally, there are numerous misconceptions about the etiology and route of transmission of the disease in Bangladesh.

What are the new findings?

A low level of appropriate knowledge, positive attitudes, and good practices were found in the study.

Overall, adequate knowledge, favorable attitudes, and good practices about tuberculosis were discovered only in 47.8%, 44.75%, and 31.19%, respectively, of Bangladesh’s general population. Males, those who are young and unmarried, those with a higher level of education, and those who live in urban areas were more likely to have enough knowledge, favorable attitudes, and appropriate practices about tuberculosis.

What do the new findings imply?

Bangladesh showed little progress in fighting against TB in the recent past. Therefore, government and policymakers should renew their efforts to improve knowledge, attitudes, and practices as an essential step to achieve stipulated TB goals.

Further studies are required that also include TB patients, healthcare workers, and community influencers.