Gender differences associated with knowledge, attitude, and behavior about cough etiquette in primary health care

Introduction: Cough Etiquette is a non-pharmacological intervention in preventing respiratory infections caused by viruses or bacteria in health care facilities. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between gender with knowledge, attitude, and behavior about cough etiquette in TB patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study with 55 new TB cases aged > 18 years taken purposively from the TB 03 register of six Samarinda Health Centers who received treatment from July 2021 to April 2022. We used a questionnaire to measure knowledge, attitudes, and behavior toward cough etiquette. The knowledge variable consists of 13 questions, the attitude variables comprised 6 statements, and the practice variables comprised 6 statements using a Likert scale. Data analysis used the chi-square test with a significance level of < 0.05. Result: Most TB patients covered their mouth with their hands (56.2%) or did not cover at all (16.6%). As many as 34% of TB patients used their sleeve arm, elbow, or tissue. There was an association between knowledge of cough etiquette in TB patients at primary health care (p = 0.008), attitude (p = 0.004), but not significant with behavior (p = 0.691). Knowledge and attitudes about cough etiquette have a relationship with influenced by gender. Conclusion: Men with TB who seek treatment at the primary health care tend to understand clearly the required attitude towards practicing cough etiquette. In places with a high risk of transmission, people with TB disease are advised to consistently apply cough etiquette to reduce the transmission of M. tuberculosis to other visitors to health care facilities.