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Knowledge, attitudes and practices of community health agents regarding pulmonary tuberculosis in a capital city in northeastern Brazil.

Lucijane Maria da Silva GasparMaria Cynthia BragaGabriela Diniz Militão de AlbuquerqueMaria Patrícia Nascimento SilvaMagda MaruzaUlísses Ramos MontarroyosMaria de Fátima Pessoa Militão de Albuquerque
Published in: Ciencia & saude coletiva (2019)
This article analyses the knowledge, attitudes and practices of community health agents (CHAs) regarding tuberculosis in Recife, a municipality with a high incidence of tuberculosis and high treatment dropout rates in Brazil. The cross-sectional study was conducted with a representative sample of CHAs and a standardized questionnaire. The frequencies of the variables related to knowledge, attitudes and practices were described, and the association between satisfactory knowledge and appropriate practices of CHAs was analysed. Of the 401 eligible CHAs, 385 (96.0%) were interviewed. The majority were women (87.5%) aged ≥ 40 years (66.0%) and had been on the job for more than nine years (74.5%). A large percentage (61.7%) had satisfactory knowledge about tuberculosis, and this knowledge (75.8%) was associated with appropriate practices (p = 0.008). Regarding attitudes, 97.1% of CHAs were believed to be at risk of contracting tuberculosis, and 53.2% attributed this risk to their job. The results suggest the need for investment in training actions that may help improve tuberculosis indicators in the municipality.
Keyphrases
  • healthcare
  • pulmonary tuberculosis
  • mycobacterium tuberculosis
  • primary care
  • mental health
  • hiv aids
  • adverse drug
  • metabolic syndrome
  • social support
  • cross sectional
  • adipose tissue
  • replacement therapy