Community Based Intervention, A Right Step in Controlling Tuberculosis Scourge

Experience in Rural Communities of Ekiti State, Nigeria

Abstract

Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) affects all ages, gender and race, but affect children more than adult. The   proportion of PTB cases in countries varies from 3% to as high as 40% (World Health Organization, 2011). Nearly 10% of Tuberculosis patients on treatment die each year from complications due to delayed presentation and/or Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV/AIDS) co-infection. Community based interventions have long been linked to tuberculosis control efforts. Effectively treated and cured patients living within the communities are often   the best advocates for TB services and may become the drivers of social mobilization to support tuberculosis control (World Health Organization; 2011). 

The study is a descriptive cross sectional study design. Data were collected from the 150 participants in selected communities using structured questionnaires.  Data were collated, cleaned and analyzed with Statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 22.

Majority of the respondents are between 21- 30 years of age, female gender and Christian religion. The participants have good knowledge of PTB, 79.3% and 90.0% knows that PTB can be contacted as droplet nuclei and via air transmission respectively; 81.3% are aware that it is curable. Although, above half of the respondents thought that it can be contacted by sharing cutleries (59.3%) and swimming pool (51.3%). There a lot of negative attitudes towards PTB clients. Some of the respondents (38.6%) affirmed that they can break relationship with PTB affected friends, 48.7% cannot employ PTB patients, 64.7%  of the respondents consider PTB as deadly as HIV/AIDS.

Negative attitudes and stigma hindered Tuberculosis prevention, testing, and treatment. There is an urgent need for further intervention to reduce stigma against PTB. The community members should be empowered with adequate knowledge of the growing burden of the disease and accessible potentials for cure.