Predictors of Knowledge of Childhood Tuberculosis among Parents Attending Outpatient Clinic in Federal Medical Center, Birnin Kudu, Jigawa State.

Abstract

Predictors of Knowledge of Childhood Tuberculosis among Parents attending Outpatient clinic in Federal Medical Center, Birnin Kudu, Jigawa State.

Introduction: Childhood tuberculosis (TB) is a major global public health concern contributing to significant child morbidity and mortality

Methodology: Through a cross-sectional descriptive study, this study aims to determine the predictors of knowledge about TB among 196 parents of children attending the Paediatric outpatient department of a rural tertiary hospital in Jigawa State.

Results: The mean age of the parents was 33.05±9.07 years. and 249 (98.4%) were aware of TB. Less than one-third had good knowledge of TB. Educational status of post-primary (AOR=2.2, 95% CI=1.9-3.1), female gender (AOR=0.39, 95%CI=0.14-0.99), and ethnicity of Hausa-Fulani (AOR=0.39, 95%CI=0.14- 0.48), were found to be significant predictors of good knowledge of TB.

Conclusions: The Majority of the respondents had poor knowledge of childhood TB, including its prevention, transmission, causes, symptoms, and treatment. There is an urgent need to increase awareness and knowledge of childhood TB in our locality, which will, in turn, lead to improvement in preventive practices to prevent the disease and early presentation and prompt diagnosis to reduce morbidity and mortality due to TB.

Key words: Parental knowledge, childhood, Paediatric, tuberculosis; Predictors, Jigawa, Nigeria