URBAN-RURAL DISPARITIES IN THE KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES & PRACTICES TOWARDS TUBERCULOSIS

The study aimed to explore the knowledge, attitudes and practices towards tuberculosis (TB) among the residents living in the urban and rural areas. The study was carried out in ten districts across Pakistan. The 1000 respondents aged 15 years and above, including 392 urban and 608 rural respondents, were randomly selected using multistage sampling. An in-depth interview was taken from the respondents. The chi-square test was used to test the association between the variables. The differences in knowledge, attitudes, practices and information sources between the urban and rural respondents were highlighted through multivariate analysis. The study reported poor knowledge and awareness among people regarding the symptoms, treatment and prevention of TB. The overall health seeking behavior of respondents was found unsatisfactory. Widespread stigmas and myths were prevalent among people obstructing the intended treatment of TB. People have strong faith on the treatment of TB by traditional and spiritual healers. This inclination was found more in the rural areas. Television was the main sources for getting TB related information in both the urban as well as the rural areas. The urban-rural inequalities suggests that the area of residence must be kept in view designing future interventions for TB prevention and control, resulting in successful implementation of the programs and policies. The study provides guidelines to conduct advocacy, communication and social mobilization (ACSM) activities as part of the broader TB control strategy.