ATTITUDE AND SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES OF TUBERCULOSIS IN ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Objective: To gain a better understanding of the attitude and social consequences of
tuberculosis (TB) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Design: A cross sectional survey using a structured questionnaire and a qualitative study
based on the focus group discussion (FGD) technique.
Setting: Eight different kebeles (urban dwellers' associations) or'six woredas (next higher
administrative level to kebele).
Subjects and methods: Seven hundred and three participants, corn prising 326 males and 377
females were interviewed using the written questionnaire and 116 recent and current TB
patients through focus group discussion. Data were analysed sing SPSStPC statistical
package. The proportions were compared using univariate and I~ivariate analyses to show
the frequency distribution and evaluate the relationship among different variables. In FGD,
topics relevant to the research questions were identified, sorted and analysed. Conclusions
were then formulated.
Main outcome measures: Attitude of participants towards TB 2nd its victims and social
consequences of being a TB patient.
Results: Eighty three per cent of the respondents were aware that r'B is a disease transmitted
from one person to another and 80.1 % perceived TB as an extren ~ely severe disease. Of the
total, 81.5% answered that TB is caused by cold, 69.0% feel that TI1 patients are not accepted
in the community and 78.3% fear physical contact with TB patients. Most participants of the
FGD sessions agreed that TB is a very dangerous, contagious but curable disease and the
community has a generally negative attitude towards them. They also think that TB is
associated with IIIVIAIDS in the society. These attitudes have social :onsequences particularly
the stigmatisation and social isolation uf TB patients. Four hundred and four (57.5%)
respondents were found to be in favour of the short course chemoth :rapy against 226 (32.1 %)
choosing the longercourse. Clinical improvement and unavailability of some drugs or theircost
were the first and second main reasons indicated, respectively, for c lefaulting by respondents.
Conclusion: The perception by most respondents that tuberculosis i i incurable, transmittable
and associated with HIVIAIDS, led to the understanding that TB is a very dangerous disease.
This, in turn, contributes to social avoidance and the resultant consequences in TB patients.
Healtheducationmust bestepped-up within the TBcontrol prograr Ime,and the psychosocial
implications of TB should be given due attention.