Knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding tuberculosis among senior secondary school students.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding tuberculosis among Nigerian senior secondary school students.

DESIGN: Questionnaire.

SETTING: Ilorin Grammar School, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.

PARTICIPANTS: Seven hundred and ninety one senior secondary students.

INTERVENTION: Questionnaire explained in English to whole class by author.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Responses were streamlined and analysed based on responders, knowledge of, attitudes towards, and practices as regards tuberculosis.

RESULTS: KNOWLEDGE: The response "Yes", "No", or "I don't know" was given to each of the following questions and their respective percentages are indicated: Have you ever heard of tuberculosis?: 81.4%, 13.9%, 4.7%. Have you ever been affected by it?: 8.3%, 86.3%, 5.3%. Can tuberculosis of the lung be contracted through drinking unclean water or eating unhygienic food?: 72.3%, 17.2%, 10.5%. Can it spread through air droplets?: 70.9%, 17.8%, 11.3%. Can it spread through overcrowding?: 71.6%, 18.1%, 10.4%. Is it caused by spirits, demons or evil doers?: 16.2%, 67.5%, 16.3%. Is it the only cause of long-standing cough?: 43.6%, 40.2%, 16.2%. Can it cause persistent fever?: 64.6%, 19.8%, 15.5%. Can it cause loss of weight?: 79.6%, 11.9%, 8.5%. Tuberculosis only affects the lungs?: 46.3%, 39.1%, 14.7%. Can it be cured at all?: 76.7%, 12.1%, 11.1%. Should the patient always be admitted to the hospital to receive treatment?: 69.7%, 9.7%, 20.6%. Can the disease be prevented?: 89.2%, 0.9%, 11.9%. Heaf or Mantoux test is dangerous?: 15.8%, 13.3%, 71.6%. Patients who are already on effective treatment (drugs) can still spread the disease?: 50.2%, 25.3%, 24.5%. Patients who have been cured can still spread the disease?: 33.5%, 49.6%, 16.9%. Should patients with tuberculosis be regarded as outcasts?: 40.1%, 38.9%, 21%. Can BCG vaccination prevent tuberculosis?: 57.6%, 18.6%, 23.8%. Can cigarette smoking predispose to tuberculosis of the lungs?: 66%, 15.8%, 18.1%. ATTITUDES: The responses on how tuberculosis can be cured are as follows: By making sacrifice to appease the angry spirits or demons 3%; by begging the evil doers 2.3%; by taking drugs prescribed by doctors 69.7%; by taking traditional medicines 4.8%; by a combination of all the above 20.1%. PRACTICES: On prevention of tuberculosis, 51 different methods are volunteered of which 41.2% are correct, 19.6% are controversial while 39.2% are definitely incorrect.

CONCLUSIONS: A high level of ignorance, wrong knowledge, wrong attitudes and wrong practices is demonstrated among senior secondary students. Inclusion of health education in school syllabi is advocated.