PHYSICIANS’ KNOWLEDGE ON TUBERCULOSIS PREVENTION AND TREATMENT IN DIQING

Haiqin Zhang^{1, #, *}, Guohui Li^{2, #} 

¹Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China  - ²The Fourth Departments, People’s Hospital of Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Diqing, China

Introduction: In the ethnic minority areas of China, the level of tuberculosis knowledge in clinicians remains unclear. This study aimed to analyze the knowledge on tuberculosis prevention and treatment in physicians in the Diqing Prefecture of Yunnan Province.

Materials and Methods: The Questionnaire on Knowledge of Tuberculosis Prevention and Treatment was developed (15 items, each scored 0 or 2). A of ≥70% (21 points) was considered good knowledge on tuberculosis. Clinical and public health physicians working in the Diqing Prefecture participated in a survey study conducted from February to May 2019. The correct answer rate of each item was analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the relevant factors for good knowledge of tuberculosis.

Results: Physicians with ≥70% correct answers accounted for 59.3%, and those with ≥80% correct answers for the five key questions accounted for 47.3%. Compared with physicians with poor knowledge of tuberculosis, those with a good knowledge were older, had a higher title and a longer working experience, previously received education about tuberculosis, had a longer interval between education and the survey, and had experience in treating tuberculous patients. Only experience of treating tuberculous patients was independently associated with a total score of ≥21 and with a score of ≥8 in the five key questions.

Conclusions: The general knowledge level of tuberculosis prevention and treatment among physicians in the multi-ethnic Diqing Prefecture is insufficient. Strengthening the training and education of tuberculosis should be the next step to control the tuberculosis epidemic in this area.