Abstract:

Background: TB is among the most important infectious diseases in Tanzania and it is the third cause of morbidity and mortality. It has been found that the community understanding of the symptoms and transmission of the disease could provide a clue to the stakeholders on where to place more effort when planning to control the disease. Also the perception of the community towards the disease is of interest as it may contribute to the endemicity of the disease.

Aim and objectives: The aim of this study was to assess knowledge on transmission, symptoms of and perception towards TB in Nyamagana districts in Mwanza. Specific objectives of the study are; to assess knowledge on transmission of TB, to assess the knowledge on symptoms of TB and to assess the perception towards TB.

Methods: A prospective study was conducted in the districts. An interviewer administered questionnaires was used as an instrument to assess the knowledge on transmission, symptoms and perception towards TB. Data was analyzed by descriptive statistics using SPSS version 20.0 software.

Results: The study enrolled 217 participants, most 32.7% were aged 18-22 followed by 22.6% aged 23-27. Most were female 57.1% and male were 42.9%. 29.5% were Sukuma by tribe. 26.7% involved in small business followed by 24.4% who involved in arts crafts. 45.2% had primary level of education followed by 44.2% secondary level of education. 195 (89.9%) reported that they have ever heard of TB while only 22 (10.1%) reported that they have not ever heard of TB. Most of 195 who reported to hear information related to TB, all them proceeded to answer the questionnaire, 76 (39.0%) reported that they heard information related to TB on mass media like radio and television, 44 (22.6%) heard at hospital, 42 (21.5%) heard at school, 11 (5.6%) heard at seminar and 22 (11.3%) heard in different places example in a community and other places. Out of 195 participants, 179 (91.8%) have had not suffered from TB 65.1% have had ever seen patient suffering from TB.

Among 195 participants who proceeded to answer the questionnaire, 95.9%, 77.4%, 66.7%, 57.4%, 31.3%, 43.6%, 4.6%, 16.4%, 61.0%, 25.1%, reported TB is transmitted through: air, drinking unpasteurized milk, cigarette smoking, drinking milk contain cow’s hair, exposure to cold, inheritance from parents, shaking hands, eating together with TB patient, exposure to dust, sexual contact respectively.

Also 85.1%, 90.8%, 67.2%, 80.5%, 67.2%, 75.4%, 76.4%, 64.6%, 85.6%, 58.5%, 35.9%, and 61.0% reported that: the symptoms of TB include chest pain, coughing up sputum mixed with blood, weakness/fatigue, unintentional weight loss, loss of appetite, chill, fever, night sweats, difficulty in breathing, joint pain, headache and symptoms of TB disease in other parts of the body depend on areas affected respectively.

About perception toward TB, 9.2%, 4.6%, 6.2%, 3.6%, 97.9%, 95.4%, 63.6% and 96.4% perceived that TB is caused by punishment from God (s), TB is caused by promiscuity, if they suspect person suffering from TB they will build them a toilet away from others, if they suspect person suffering from TB they will send him/her to the nearby traditional healer, if they suspect a person suffering from TB they will send him/her to the nearby hospital, if they have active TB they will cover their mount during coughing in order to prevent from infecting others, quitting smoking is the best way to prevent spread of TB to others and TB can kill a person if not treated.

Conclusion: Knowledge on transmission of TB generally was high, whereby on average 87% of participants knew how TB is transmitted. They reported that TB is transmitted by inhaling air contain aerosols of TB pathogens and also they knew that drinking milk contain TB pathogen can transmit TB.

The knowledge on symptoms of TB was moderately high whereby an average of 74.2% of participants knew the symptoms of TB. They knew that chest pain, coughing up sputum with blood, weakness/fatigue, unintentional weight loss, loss of appetite, chills, fever and night sweats were the symptoms of TB.

Knowledge on perception toward TB was high whereby among 195 subjects who interviewed, an average of 95.2% had good perception toward TB. Only 4.8% had poor perception toward TB because they believed that TB is caused by punishment from God and by promiscuity, other perceived that TB patient are supposed to be attended by traditional healer.

Although participants had high knowledge on transmission of symptoms and perception toward TB, still they believe that TB is transmitted by cigarette smoking, exposure to dust, inheritance from parents, exposure to cold, sexual intercourse, eating together/ shaking hands with TB patients and by doing heavy duties like cultivation.

Therefore, the study revealed that, there is high knowledge on transmission of, symptoms and perception toward tuberculosis in Nyamagana district, Mwanza Tanzania.