Assessing Pulmonary Tuberculosis Knowledge among Patients: A Study of Select Hospitals in Moradabad

India is the highest TB burden country with World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics for 2011 giving an estimated incidence figure of 2.2 million cases of TB for India out of a global incidence of 8.7 million cases. The estimated TB prevalence figure for 2011 is given as 3.1 million.¹ TB is an infectious disease caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium Tuberculi. It typically affects the lungs (pulmonary TB) but can affect other sites as well (extra pulmonary TB). The disease is spread in the air when people, who are sick with Pulmonary TB expel bacteria, for example by coughing. TB is also more common among men than women, and affects mostly adults in the economically productive age groups. due to this, The present researcher intended that to find out grass root causes of epidemiology concerned with TB.

1. To assess knowledge regarding pulmonary tuberculosis among patients with tuberculosis.

2. To find out association between knowledge towards pulmonary tuberculosis among patients with selected demographic variables.

This study based on descriptive survey approach. Purposive sampling technique was used to obtain a sample of 200 persons affected by PTB in selected hospitals. The researchers developed demographic proforma for collecting information from subjects and structured knowledge questionnaire was prepared to collect the data regarding tuberculosis. which contained Part I ‘Demographic data’, Part II ‘Structured knowledge questionnaire of PTB’. The reliability was established by using Kuder-Richardson (Kr 20 = 0.59) formula.

The study finding showed that majority i.e. 68% patients had moderate knowledge 23% patients had inadequate knowledge and 9% patients had adequate awareness regarding pulmonary tuberculosis. Overall mean knowledge score and standard deviation of the subject were 12.49 and 3.64 respectively. While remainders possessed moderate level of knowledge.

There was no significant association found between mean knowledge score and age in years, gender, education, occupation, family monthly income, types of family, personal habits, previous exposure to PTB, BCG vaccination etc. There was significant association found between mean knowledge score and source of previous knowledge.