Stigma towrads Tuberculosis Patients in Shasemene Town
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Date
2004-03
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
A community based cross sectional survey was conducted from November 2003 to
March 2004 to assess the magnitude of stigma towards tuberculosis patients among
the residents of Shashemene town, age 18 years and above. A multistage sampling
procedure was used to select 845 study subjects. Both quantitative and qualitative
data collection methods were utilized.
The study shows that there was a misconception about cause of tuberculosis and its
transmission in which majority 90.2% of the respondents reported cold as the major
cause of tuberculosis, and 397(48.6%) of the respondents reported that all TB patients
are infected with HIV/AIDS. Four hundred ninety one (60.1%) and 400(49%) of
respondents reported that eating together and shearing toilet with TB patients,
respectively, could transmit TB.
Most of the respondents reported the presence of stigma towards tuberculosis
patients, in which , 612(74.9%) of the respondents were not willing to disclose their
disease status and 364(44.6%) of the respondents also were not willing to allow their
child to learn in the same School where a child who have tuberculosis is learning.
Five hundred and three (61.6%) of the respondents were not willing a teacher who
has got tuberculosis to teach in the school weather he/she has started the treatment.
Further more, 391(47.9%) of the respondents were not willing to allow a marriage
between their daughter/son with a person who has been cured from tuberculosis. Most
participants of the Focus Group Discussion (FGD) sessions reported that all
tuberculosis patients were considered to have HIV/AIDS.
Thus, careful design and implementation of health education and incorporation of the
issues of tuberculosis related stigma along with other programs of TB and HIV/AIDS
and further studies to enrich the knowledge about stigma surrounding TB and TB
patients are recommended.
Key Words: Stigma, Tuberculosis, Feeling, Avoidance
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Keywords
Stigma, Tuberculosis, Feeling, Avoidance