PERCEPTION OF PATIENTS ON THE CAUSES AND PREVENTION OF PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS IN THE OUT-PATIENT DEPARTMENT OF UNIVERSITY OF BENIN TEACHING HOSPITAL, BENIN CITY

 ABSTRACT

Tuberculosis is an airborne disease and as well as an infectious disease that primarily affects the hang parenchyma. This study was conducted to assess the perception of patient on the causes and prevention of pulmonary tuberculosis. This study was conducted using the population size of 200 patients in the out-patients department of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital. The study design was descriptive survey research design and questionnaire was the instrument for data collection which was validated and found reliable. The results of the study revealed that majority (63,5%) of the respondents have a considerable level of awareness of pulmonary tuberculosis. However, there is a low level of knowledge across most of the patients sampled in terms of the cause and prevention of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). The perception of the respondents was found to be positive. The study thus recommends that it is very important to have policy or guidelines for infection prevention and control for a better understanding in the context of health care settings on issues of TB transmission, Prevention and control measures to reduce the risk of TB infection and protection of inmates as well as health care worker should be given highest priority in health care planning and development.

Keywords: Pulmonary Tuberculosis, Perception, causes, prevention.