AWARENESS LEVEL OF THE POPULATION AND KEY GROUPS OF THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN IN MATTERS OF TUBERCULOSIS
Introduction: Tuberculosis remains one of the pressing health problems, both throughout the world and in Kazakhstan. Despite the positive dynamics of the epidemiological situation with regard to tuberculosis, in Kazakhstan there are still unresolved problems of an increase in cases of drug-resistant forms of tuberculosis, registration of neglected cases, and treatment interruptions. Certain difficulties in the provision of medical care are also recorded in key populations. The study of the level of awareness of tuberculosis among the population in general and its individual groups will optimize the issues of informing the population about tuberculosis in order to change the attitude and behavior of residents of the country towards tuberculosis, reduce stigma and discrimination.
The aim is to study the level of awareness, attitudes, behavior of the population of the Republic of Kazakhstan in matters of tuberculosisү
Materials and Methods: This study is a one-stage sociological study using the survey method with filling out questionnaires and the method of in-depth interviewing. The research tool is based on an example of a questionnaire recommended by WHO in “A guide to developing knowledge, attitude and practice surveys” (2008). The questionnaires were developed separately for each group of respondents and are presented in Kazakh and Russian languages. Number of respondents - 3700 people: general population; people living with HIV (PLHIV); people who use drugs (PWUD); internal migrants (BM); medical professionals (MR). Statistical analysis - Stata: Release 15. Categorical variables were calculated as shares (%) and quantitative continuous variables - as averages.
Results: Assessments indicating an understanding of the severity of the problem of tuberculosis are much more common among PLHIV (77%) and PWUD (86%) than among internal migrants (64%) and the general population (69%). Representatives of PLHIV (71%) and PWUD (75%) communities more often than the general population (57%) and internal migrants (58%) assess the problem of tuberculosis in Kazakhstan as “very serious”. Awareness of the main symptoms and signs of tuberculosis is higher among PLHIV and PWUD, they were much more likely than the general population and internal migrants to name the main symptoms of the disease. PLHIV and PWUD more often named airborne transmission of the disease (94%) than respondents from the general population (79%) and internal migrants (78%). The transmission of the disease through shared dishes and through joint eating of one dish was more often reported by PLHIV, PWUD and the general population than by internal migrants. The fact that anyone can be infected with tuberculosis was more often reported by PLHIV (93%) and PWUD (89%) than by the general population (86%) and internal migrants (73%).
Conclusions: The results of the TB awareness survey showed that the general population has some knowledge about TB, and the main sources of information about TB are indicated by television, health workers, family members and friends. This indicates that in order to strengthen the awareness of the population about TB, it is necessary to focus on these methods of communication. The study showed that the overwhelming majority of the target groups of the study (82% -95%) will turn to medical organizations in case of suspicion of tuberculosis. Also, almost every tenth PLHIV (12.5%) will turn to AIDS Centers at their place of residence. A relatively low number of visits to medical organizations is observed among internal migrants, despite the fact that 82% will turn to medical organizations, 10% will self-medicate, 6% will turn to healers, another 6% will go to the pharmacy for medicines, i.e. in fact, they will also self-medicate.
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Aringazina A., Aitambaeva N., Nazarova L., Alimbekova G., Ismailov Sh., Adenov M., Jazybekova P., Musabekova G., Alikeyeva E. Awareness level of the population and key groups of the Republic of Kazakhstan in matters of tuberculosis // Nauka i Zdravookhranenie [Science & Healthcare]. 2021, (Vol.23) 5, pp. 67-77. doi 10.34689/SH.2021.23.5.008Related publications:
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