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13. Knowledge about Tuberculosis among Medical Students of a Private Medical College, Karachi

Muhammad Athar Khan, Sania Tabassum and Manzar Alam Shah

 

ABSTRACT

 

Objective: to assess the knowledge of TB among fourth year MBBS students at Liaquat College of Medicine & Dentistry (LCMD).

Study Design: Descriptive / cross sectional study.

 

Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Department of Community Medicine, Liaquat College of Medicine and Dentistry, Karachi from January 2014 to May 2017.

 

Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 399 fourth year MBBS students. Respondents were recruited using non-probability convenience sampling technique and informed consent sought from them. The survey was conducted through a self-administered questionnaire, and some changes were made in the previous questionnaire. Questionnaire includes 34 multiple choice questions divided by sections: knowledge of epidemiology and prevention (13 questions), diagnosis (9 questions) and treatment (12 questions). The collected information was analyzed using the SPSS 21 version. The continuous variables were summarized as mean and standard deviation (SD) and categorical variables were expressed as a percentage.

 

Results: The average percentage of correct answers was 44.2% in the 34 multiple choice questions that assessed the knowledge of tuberculosis amongst students. For all 34 questions about tuberculosis knowledge, "the most common pathogen of TB in immunosuppressive patients” the correct response was 4.2% and 90.2% for the “transmission of tuberculosis”.

 

Conclusion: In general, our data show that tuberculosis knowledge is inadequate in medical students as <50% of students correctly answered the questions asked. Therefore, when these members of health care system lack knowledge of tuberculosis, the outcome of the TB treatment and prevention program may have a risk of failure.

Key Words: Tuberculosis, knowledge, medical students, undergraduate

 

Citation of articles: Khan MA, Tabassum S, Shah MA. Knowledge about Tuberculosis among Medical Students of a Private Medical College, Karachi. Med Forum 2017;28(10):51-55