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Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to assess and explore the knowledge of TB patients regarding TB in Quetta. Method: A questionnaire based, cross sectional analysis was conducted in Fatima Jinnah chest hospital with 280 TB patients. Knowledge was assessed by using a pre-validated self-administered questionnaire containing 22 disease related questions. Convenience sampling technique was used for data collection. Descriptive analysis was used to demonstrate the characteristics of the study population. Inferential statistics (Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal Wallis tests, p< 0.05) were used to assess the significance among study variables. Results: Mean age of respondents was 40.99 ± 18.10. Study was dominated by 168 (60.00%) of females. Two hundred (71.40%) were married. One hundred sixteen (41.40%) had no any education. One hundred sixty-eight (60.00%) were Pashtun. One hundred thirty-two (47.10%) having income less than 10000 PKR and ranges between 10000 to 18000 PKR respectively. One hundred fifty-six (55.70%) were having rural residency. One hundred fifty-six (58.10%) having no any co-morbidity. Mean score of knowledge was 11.23 ± 3.616. Conclusion: Study concluded that as knowledge is a key factor for the prevention and control of TB, it is obvious to plan and apply appropriate health education programs, seminars and interventions regardless to the level of education of population to propagate the knowledge and information about causes, transmission and duration of treatment of tuberculosis in the general population and TB patients to coup with further disease progression in Pakistan.