Abstract:

Objective To understand the status of awareness of knowledge about tuberculosis (TB) prevention and control and the ways to acquire this knowledge among the elderly population in Anhui Province for scientific basis to optimize the related prevention and control strategies and measures. Methods By stratified random sampling, we conducted a survey on the elderly population living in the 36 committees (administrative villages) in the southern, central, and northern Anhui Province from October to December 2022. The subjects at each site consisted of three age groups, namely, 60-69 years, 70-79 years, and ≥80 years. Then 32, 26 and 22 individuals were randomly included from each age group, respectively, and underwent face-to-face questionnaire response. The survey centered on understanding the respondents′ awareness of core information concerning TB prevention and control, along with the avenues through which they accessed this information. Results A total of 2 810 elderly individuals were surveyed, including 1 414 males and 1 396 females, with an average age of (72.89±7.84) years. The overall awareness rate of five core items towards pulmonary TB information was 49.17% (6 908/14 050), while the full awareness rate of all core information was 10.39% (292/2 810). By awareness of single core information, the rate was the highest in “persistent coughing, expectoration, or blood-tinged sputum should be suspected of pulmonary TB infection” (68.68%, 1 930/2 810), whereas the awareness rate was the lowest in “washing hands frequently, ensuring ventilation, strengthening physical fitness can prevent pulmonary TB, and covering the mouth and nose when coughing and no spitting indiscriminately may reduce transmission” (34.98%, 983/2 810). Education level, occupation, and annual household income were influencing factors for full awareness rates. The full awareness rates were relatively higher in individuals with higher education levels and household incomes, as well as those who were workers or retirees. Publicity from the health workers was the most important source of knowledge towards pulmonary TB prevention and treatment (43.02%, 1 209/2 810), whereas the radio, TV programs and films were the most preferred sources to acquire such knowledge (59.40%, 1 669/2 810). Conclusion The overall awareness rate of the knowledge on the core pulmonary TB prevention and treatment appears relatively lower in the elderly population in Anhui Province, and they are particularly poor in awareness of the preventive measures, for which it is recommended to boost the pulmonary TB prevention and treatment knowledge in the elderly population through publicity by the radio, TV programs and film as well as health workers.

Key words: Pulmonary tuberculosis, The elderly, Prevention and control knowledge, Awareness rate, Anhui province