Abstract

A DESCRIPTIVE EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY ON THE RISK FACTOR FOR TRANSMISSION OF TUBERCULOSIS IN B G NAGARA, MANDYA, KARNATAKA, INDIA.

Satish Kumar B.P., Thakur Pokharel*, Manjula. G, Kiran Majjigeri, Bipin Kafle and Nirajan Kunwar

Abstract

Background: Tuberculosis is a major cause of death worldwide. Most of the patients get infected as a result of ignorance of the risk factors that contribute to disease transmission. Objectives: To determine the risk factors of confirmed cases of tuberculosis. Material & Methodology: It is a descriptive epidemiological study. Patients aged 18 years and above of either sex who diagnosed with tuberculosis were enrolled in this study. A special design pro-forma was used to collect the data. The personal data was classified by age, gender, education, occupation, family‟s average income per month, housing status, smoking and alcohol consumption habit. Based on the given answers the data was analyzed by using SPSS 16. Results: During the study period, a total of 84 cases of confirmed tuberculosis were enrolled for the evaluation of risk factors. Gender, age, occupation, income and housing all of which were found to be significant in transmission of tuberculosis (P value 0.05). Males were more than females. The unemployment sample populations were reported as 48.80% and 50 % were self employed, 33.33 % family‟s income ranged from INR 5,000-10,000 where as 2.83 % patient‟s family income was between INR 10,000-15,000 which was slightly more than 1.19 % of that family whose income was INR >15,000. Uneducated sample populations were more as compare to other groups. Smokers and alcoholics were less as compare to non-smokers and alcoholics, 76.19% patients were living either in single or double rooms, 22.62% were living in 2- 4 rooms and 1.19% were staying in more than 4 room with other family members. Conclusion: Gender, age, income, housing status has strong association in transmission of tuberculosis than education and social habits such as smoking and alcohol consumption habits. Lack of education and health awareness play a vital role in the transmission of infectious disease including tuberculosis. Identification of most possible risk factors helps to make health policies and strategies for government.

Keywords: Tuberculosis, Risk factors, Policies and Strategies.