title: Knowledge about tuberculosis among undergraduate health care students in 15 Italian universities: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Italian Study Group on Hospital Hygiene of the Italian Society of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Public Health conducted a multicentre survey aiming to evaluate undergraduate health care students' knowledge of tuberculosis and tuberculosis control measures in Italy.
  
  
  METHODS
  In October 2012-June 2013, a sample of medical and nursing students from 15 Italian universities were enrolled on a voluntary basis and asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire investigating both general knowledge of tuberculosis (aetiology, clinical presentation, outcome, screening methods) and personal experiences and practices related to tuberculosis prevention. Data were analysed through multivariable regression using Stata software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sample consisted of 2,220 students in nursing (72.6%) and medicine (27.4%) courses. Our findings clearly showed that medical students had a better knowledge of tuberculosis than did nursing students.Although the vast majority of the sample (up to 95%) answered questions about tuberculosis aetiology correctly, only 60% of the students gave the correct responses regarding clinical aspects and vaccine details. Overall, 66.9% of the students had been screened for tuberculosis, but less than 20% of those with a negative result on the tuberculin skin test were vaccinated. Multivariable regression analysis showed that age and type of study programme (nursing vs. medical course) were determinants of answering the questions correctly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although our data showed sufficient knowledge on tuberculosis, this survey underlines the considerable need for improvement in knowledge about the disease, especially among nursing students. In light of the scientific recommendations concerning tuberculosis knowledge among students, progress of current health care curricula aimed to develop students' skills in this field is needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Science and Human Oncology-Hygiene Section, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy. mariateresa.montagna@uniba.it.
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Montagna
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Napoli
authors.forename: Silvio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tafuri
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Agodi
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Auxilia
authors.forename: Beatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Casini
authors.forename: Maria Franca
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Coscia
authors.forename: Marcello Mario
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: D'Errico
authors.forename: Margherita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferrante
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fortunato
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Germinario
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Martinelli
authors.forename: Giuseppe Michele
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Masanotti
authors.forename: Maria Fatima
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Massenti
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Messina
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Montuori
authors.forename: Ida
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mura
authors.forename: Giovanni Battista
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Orsi
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Quaranta
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sotgiu
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stefanati
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tardivo
authors.forename: Maria Valeria
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Torregrossa
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Tortorano
authors.forename: Licia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Veronesi
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zarrilli
authors.forename: Cesira
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pasquarella
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000523:psychology*; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult