Chronic alcoholics' knowledge regarding tuberculosis

Abstract

Introduction: CA are under high risk of developing active TB, very extended forms of TB (with possible lethal outcome) etc.

Aim: To investigate CA's KN and social stigmatization (ST) regarding TB.

Method: A questionnaire with 22 items (general KN, ST) completed by 115 CA treated for chronic alcoholism on the ward of psychiatry during the year 2000: 97% male, 74% aged 26-45 years, 62% urban, education level (low-35%, middle-59%, high-6%), 8% refugees, 79% smokers.

Results: 72% know that TB mainly affects the lungs, 75% that TB can be cured, 79% that there is a vaccine against TB, 57% that blood in the sputum is not the only symptom of TB, 22% that there is a connection between TB and AIDS, 33% that there are forms of TB which cannot be cured by standard anti-TB treatment (rural, lower educated/urban, middle educated CA: p = 0.03). 19% would not visit a close friend suffering from TB, 26% would prevent their child from marrying someone who suffered from TB, only 80% would not divorce their spouse if he/she suffered from TB (rural, lower educated/urban, middle educated CA: p = 0.005). Only 35% of the sample know that CAs are under higher risk of developing TB than the general population.

Conclusions: 1. KN on TB is not sufficient among CAs. 2. ST of TB is high among CAs. 3. Health education of CAs during hospital treatment must include: information on the danger of tobacco, on the natural history of TB, on high risk of developing TB, on the importance of early self referral when suspected TB symptoms appear, on personal and community related responsibility of each human being regarding TB.