Knowledge, attitudes and health seeking behaviour of university students towards tuberculosis: a case study of UKZN Howard College.

Abstract

In 2015, South Africa recorded an alarming TB incidence cases of 454 000, having 834 cases per 100 000, which accounted for 60% of the global TB burden. A shift from this trend requires the understanding of the knowledge, attitude, and practices of TB amongst young South Africans, who are at high risk, in order to properly inform the prevention strategies and to reduce infection rate. Although several studies have been conducted on the knowledge attitude and practices of TB in South Africa, only few have been conducted amongst South African university students. This study aimed to determine the knowledge, attitude, practices and behaviour among university students in UKZN Howard college, using a quantitative method with structured questionnaire. The study, consisting of 221 post graduate and undergraduate students, showed that students were aware of the symptoms, causes and mode of TB transmission. It showed that most (90%) of the participants had positive attitude towards TB. Although there was evidence of low (female: 29%, Male: 53%) screening practices, all the participants agreed they would go to the health facilities if they had TB. The study found that level of education was statistically (p < 0.01) associated with knowledge of the duration of TB treatment while gender was significantly (p < 0.001) associated with practice of testing for TB. Based on participants’ responses, the study suggests that the social media should be utilized in the dissemination of TB knowledge to the public to promote prevention and treatment of TB disease.