study on knowledge of diseases causation among adults of an urban slum of Multan

ABSTRACT

A cross-sectional study with descriptive and analytical components was carried out at Basti Oddan, an urban slum of Multan city. The concept of disease causation regarding tuberculosis, hepatitis B and malaria among 320 adults was assessed utilising a pre-tested questionnaire. Data was entered and analysed using SPSS software, 11[th] version. Running and tabulation of all the variable frequencies were done as part of data management. Tables were used to present the data. Chi -square test was used as the test of significance. Level of significance was set at 0.05. The overall knowledge of disease, causation was poor i.e. less than 50%. Respondents with better educational status had better concept of causation regarding three common communicable diseases. The association between economic status and concept of disease causation was variable i.e. no significant association between economic status and awareness of tuberculosis causation. However a positive association between economic status and awareness regarding hepatitis B and malaria was noted. It is concluded that there is great need to improve the educational status of the people otherwise any health improvement program is unlikely to succeed