Knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about tuberculosis in urban Morocco.
We sought to characterize conceptions of tuberculosis (TB) in an urban population in Morocco. Thus 301 subjects, some being treated for TB (patients) and some attending health facilities for other conditions (non-patients), in 2 Moroccan cities were surveyed. Most patients did not identify their illness as TB referring instead to a body region or symptom. Non-patients tended to cite causative factors related to living conditions, home and family. There was considerable stigma associated with TB. Most non-patients knew that TB was treatable, but few were aware that diagnosis and treatment were free. Popular understandings of TB etiology and transmission in this population differ from the biomedical view, highlighting the need for better communication about the disease.
Ottmani
S
S
Stop TB Department, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
Obermeyer
Z
Z
Bencheikh
N
N
Mahjour
J
J
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015984:Causality; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009018:Morocco / Q000453:epidemiology; D009313:National Health Programs; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013240:Stereotyping; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data