Awareness of Tuberculosis and RNTCP among Interns at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Goa
Abstract
Introduction: India is the highest burdened country with Tuberculosis (TB) bearing over one fourth of the global TB burden. HIV and drug resistance have further complicated the scenario. Thorough knowledge about TB, its diagnosis and treatment as well as about HIV-TB and drug resistance is needed to make RNTCP and TB control a success.
Materials & Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among 90 medical interns who answered a self-administered semi structured questionnaire consisting of 30 questions, answered over 30 minutes, conducted over a 3-month period from July to September 2019. Data was entered in MS Excel and analysed using SPSS 14.0 software. Results were expressed in percentages and proportions. P value <0.05 was considered as statistically significant.
Result: The response rate was 100%. Mean age of interns was 23 to 25 years with 56.6% of them being females. 98.8% of the interns correctly identified the chief symptom of TB. 90% of them knew the role of DOTS centre in TB control. However, the overall knowledge regarding HIV-TB and Drug resistant TB was poor. None of them had received prior RNTCP training.
Conclusion: Our study has identified several gaps in the knowledge among medical interns in Goa regarding various aspects of TB diagnosis, RNTCP, HIV-TB and Drug resistant TB. RNTCP training and sensitization must be a mandatory part of the interns training to improve the control of TB in India.
How to cite this article:
Naik MV, Parrikar AAP, Cacodcar JA. Awareness of Tuberculosis and RNTCP among Interns at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Goa. Epidem Int 2020; 5(3): 1-5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2455.7048.202019
References
Global Tuberculosis Report 2019, Geneva: World Health Organization; 2019. Licence: CCBY-NC-SA3.
oIGO accessed on 20.02.2020.
Annual Report: India TB Report 2019 Central TB Division, available at www.tbcindia.gov.in accessed
on 20.02.2020.
Chennaveerappa K, Rajashekar HK, Nagaral J et al. A study on awareness of tuberculosis and RNTCP among
undergraduate medical students and interns. Journal of Evolution of Medical and Dental Sciences 2014; 3:
-8121.
Abdurehiman T, Krishnappriya Ramachandran, Arun Prasath R et al. To assess the awareness and knowledge
of pulmonary tuberculosis and RNTCP among interns and postgraduates at a tertiary care hospital in South
India. Paripex - Indian Journal of Research 2018; 7(1): 14-16.
Sangma BK, Bhavya S, Sinh WA et al. Assessment of knowledge on management of pulmonary
tuberculosis under RNTCP among graduating interns and postgraduate students in RIMS Imphal. IOSR Journal
of Nursing and Health Science 2017; 6(3): 07-11.
Basu M, Das P. Assessment of knowledge regarding tuberculosis in the context of revised national
tuberculosis control program among budding doctors. Chronicles of Young Scientists 2014; 5(1): 59-64.
Baveja SM, Dalal PJ. Awareness of the revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme and attitude to
tuberculosis patients amongst medical undergraduates. Journal of Academy of Medical Sciences 2012; 2(2):
-72.
Balamurugan SS, Rao S. The awareness about tuberculosis and dots among the aspiring doctors in
a tertiary medical college hospital, Salem, Tamil Nadu. National J Res Community Med 2013; 2(2): 79-148.