Assessment of Patients Knowledge of Tuberculosis Transmission Mode, Risk Factors and Drug Resistance in AL Anbar, Governorate, Iraq 2022-2023

Abstract: Background:  Tuberculosis (TB) is an airborne infectious disease caused by bacteria that mostly affects the lungs. It spreads through the air when infected people cough, sneeze, or spit. After COVID-19 TB is the second leading infectious killer and death worldwide. Our study assessed the patients’ knowledge of Tuberculosis transmission mode, Risk Factors, and drug resistance in the AL-Anbar Governorate.                                                                           

Methodology: A cross-sectional study design using a nonprobability sampling of (176) Tuberculosis patients registered at the Tuberculosis Health Center in Ramadi City-Iraq in 2022-2023. A questionnaire sheet was used, and a p-value of less than (0.05) was considered significant.

Results: Ninety percent were over 40 years with a mean of 57±13.4. Most of them were males, married, and farmers. Less than a quarter (20%) with a family income<500,000 Iraqi dinar but more than half (68%) between (500,000 -750,000) Iraqi dinar monthly.  (65%) of the total patients were old cases. Regarding the knowledge of the mode of transmission, more than a quarter said by crowding 51(29%) but less said by cough 40(23%), 32(18%) family history, 23(13%) direct contact, and (17%) didn’t know with a statistical significance with education. Regarding risk factors, less than half 70(40%) were smokers but more than a quarter 53(30%) had hypertension, and some of them 27(15%) had diabetes and the same percentage had renal diseases. For drug resistance, a small number of 25(14%) was reported as a secondary line resistant to isoniazid, most of them were males and more than a quarter were smokers. More than a quarter (29%) of the patients had extrapulmonary TB before the age of 50 years while 71% had it after 50 years old with a statistical significance with age.

Conclusions: Middle-aged males with low income were most affected, a small number had secondary line resistance to isoniazid drug. There was a moderate knowledge of the transmission mode affected by education. The most common risk factors were smoking and hypertension.                                                                                                                         

Keywords: Knowledge of Transmission Mode, Risk Factor, Drug Resistance.                 

Title: Assessment of Patients Knowledge of Tuberculosis Transmission Mode, Risk Factors and Drug Resistance in AL Anbar, Governorate, Iraq 2022-2023

Author: B N Abdul-Fatah, H O Mashaan, A K Awad

International Journal of Healthcare Sciences

ISSN 2348-5728 (Online)

Vol. 13, Issue 1, April 2025 - September 2025

Page No: 55-60

Research Publish Journals

Website: www.researchpublish.com

Published Date: 23-April-2025