Factors Related to Tuberculosis Preventive Behaviors among Tuberculosis Patient Attendants in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Abstract

Objective: To examine the relationships between tuberculosis (TB)preventive behavior among TB patients’ attendants and their sociodemographicfactors (including age, sex, and education), knowledge,perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, andperceived barriers. Method: A sample of 197 TB patients’ attendants wasrecruited at the DOTS Centre from two government hospitals in Dhaka,Bangladesh during March, 2014 to April, 2014. Data were collected byface-to-face interviews with the patients’ attendants. Descriptive statisticswere used to describe variables and the Pearson correlation coefficient toexamine the relationships. Results: TB patients’ attendants were with anaverage age of 34.79 years (18 to 72 years). The majority was female(52.3%) , married (83.5%), and Muslim (97.0%). About one-third hadsecondary school (36.0%) and primary school (30.5%) education. Themajority had a monthly family income ≤ 20,000 taka (80.2%). The majority(41.6 %) had a moderate level of knowledge (M = 21.37, SD= 4.99) andalmost half (45.2%) had a moderate level of preventive behavior (M =16.72, SD = 3.14). Among 3 socio-demographic factors, only education hada moderate positive relationship with TB preventive behavior (r = 0.391, P <0.01). Knowledge was strongly positively associated with TB preventivebehavior (r = 0.526, P < 0.01). While perceived susceptibility, perceivedseverity and perceived benefit had positive relationships with preventivebehavior (r = 0.300, P < 0.01; r = .219, P < 0.01; r = 0.179, P < 0.05,respectively); perceived barrier had a moderate negative relationship (r = -0.424, P < 0.01). Conclusion: TB patient attendants’ knowledge, perceivedsusceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, and perceived barrierswere related with their TB preventive behavior. A nursing interventionprogram aiming at promoting knowledge, perception and preventivebehavior among TB patient attendants is needed.Keywords: tuberculosis patient’s attendants, preventive behavior,knowledge, perception