ATTITUDES TOWARDS TUBERCULOSIS AND SOURCES OF TUBERCULOSIS-RELATED INFORMATION: STUDY ON PATIENTS IN OUTPATIENT SETTINGS IN SPLIT, CROATIA

Attitudes towards tuberculosis may have severe impact on individuals and their families as well as on the effectiveness of tuberculosis control programs. The purpose of this study was to describe these attitudes and explore the sources of tuberculosis information available to the general population in Croatia through a cross-sectional survey based on structured questionnaire using convenience sampling among 386 subjects aged 18 years and over. Data were stratified by sex, age groups, educational background, personal monthly income and contact with tuberculosis patient. Being near to a tuberculosis patient would be uncomfortable for 39.9% of respondents and 26.4% of subjects would avoid any contact. If they were sick of tuberculosis, 9.6% of respondents would keep it from the society. Less than 10% of study subjects would be ashamed of their own or potential tuberculosis in their family. Almost twice less subjects with high education would hide the disease (P=0.049), or be ashamed if sick in comparison with less educated respondents (P=0.036). The subjects who were not in contact were less likely to feel uncomfortable about being near to a tuberculosis patient (P=0.042). As the source of tuberculosis information, 61% of the subjects reported TV, radio and journals. Internet was the least used source (13.2%). The subjects in contact received information from the family or friends (P=0.025), while those without contact were informed through mass media (P<0.001). Study results revealed high stigma-generating attitudes towards tuberculosis. The strong potential of mass media capable of reaching different population groups should be used as part of the stigma-reduction strategies.