The Role Of Public Health Workers In Tuberculosis Management And Prevention

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The main objective of the study was to assess the  the role of public health workers in tuberculosis management and prevention. In line with this objective, the study considered the following specific objectives are to;

i. Assess the knowledge of public health workers on tuberculosis disease prevention and control in Federal medical center.

ii. Describe the practices employed by public health workers for the prevention of TB disease in Federal medical center.

iii. Identify challenges encountered by health care workers in implementation of the TB- IPC strategies in Federal medical center.

1.4 Significance of the Study

This study is expected to pioneer research into the awareness and perception of TB and other respiratory infections in particular as well as nosocomial infections in general. It is also relevant to the intellectual community; the facts and information that come out of this study provide useful knowledge for learning. It will further improve the steps in the practices that will be employed by health care workers to reduce the transmission of TB and other respiratory infections among health workers, clients, patients in hospitals and clinics. The findings of this research will also be useful to the hospital management in making decisions regarding TB and prevention of respiratory diseases in general.

This study is expected to set a pace to delineate the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders at every level of the provision of health care. It is to provide guidance on which activities or measures are to be implemented at health facilities to prevent and control nosocomial TB transmission among health workers, patients and relatives.

1.5 Research Questions

The current study therefore sets out to find answers to the following research questions:

i. What knowledge do public health workers have regarding TB infection prevention and control strategies?

ii. What are the practices employed by public health workers in the Federal medical center in implementing infection prevention and control of TB?

iii. What are the challenges healthcare workers encounter in the implementation of TB infection prevention and control strategies?

1.6 Hypothesis

There is no significant association between gender and awareness and perception of tuberculosis.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The study was limited to all public health workers Federal medical center. The variables to be studied include the prevalence of TB, according to sex and age and treatment outcome of patients within the period under review.

1.8 Operational Definition of Terms

Prevalence of Tuberculosis:-This refers to the number of cases of tuberculosis.

Knowledge: Information the public health workers have on TB and its prevention measures. Practices: These are the activities and behaviours of public health workers towards prevention of TB at Federal medical center.

Health care workers: Trained Nurses, Laboratory Technologists and technicians, X-ray technicians and technologists, Doctors, Health Assistants/Health Aides

Infection prevention: the necessary actions or any precautionary measures taken to stop the invasion and multiplication of micro-organisms (TB bacilli) and transmission from one person to another.

Infection control: the necessary actions or any precautionary measures taken to reduce the invasion and multiplication of micro-organism (TB bacilli) and transmission from one person to another.

Assessment: to evaluate health workers on the subject of TB infection prevention and control practices.