Knowledge of tuberculosis: a survey among tuberculosis patients in Omdurman, Sudan

ABSTRACT

A cross-sectional study was conducted in different health settings in Greater Omdurman Province with the objective of measuring the patients' knowledge about tuberculosis and its treatment. One thousand tuberculosis patients were randomly selected. Results revealed general unawareness with the disease and its treatment among the interviewees. Only 36.2% of them had satisfactory knowledge about tuberculosis and its treatment. The level of this knowledge was inversely proportional with respondent's age. Males [38.7%] were more knowledgeable than females [31.4%]. The level of satisfactory knowledge increased with increasing educational level. Respondents treated at health facilities implementing the ational Tuberculosis Programme guidelines [34.5%] were more knowledgeable compared to those treated at general hospitals and private clinics where there is no commitment to the uidelines [23.1%]. Increasing coverage of programme implementation to include general hospitals and private sector, the designing of special health educational programmes and interventions directed toward tuberculosis patients to increase their general awareness about the disease and its treatment were recommended