title: Health care workers' knowledge and attitude towards TB patients under Direct Observation of Treatment in Plateau state Nigeria, 2011.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tuberculosis (TB) is a public health problem in Nigeria. Adherence to the total duration of treatment is critical to cure the patients. We explored the knowledge of the health care workers on management of TB patients including their perceived reasons for patient non adherence to treatment to develop strategies to improve the quality of the TB control service in the state.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a cross sectional study. We used self administered questionnaire to extract information from the health workers on their trainings for TB control, knowledge of the control services, patients' education including prevention of defaulting from treatment. We conducted focus group discussion with the health care workers. We performed descriptive analysis using epiInfo software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 76 respondents 41 (53.9%) were female, 39.9% were community health extension workers, 26.3% were nurses/midwifes 30.3% lacked training on management of TB patient. Only 43.4% knew when to take action on patients who miss their drugs in the intensive phase, 30.3% and 35.5% knew defaults among category 1 and category 2 in the continuation phases of treatment respectively. They identified side effects of drugs (80%), daily clinic attendance (76.3%), health workers attitude (73.4%) and lack of knowledge on duration of treatment (71.1%) including their unfriendly attitudes towards the patients as the major barriers to patients' adherence to treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lack of knowledge of the health care workers on management of TB patients and poor interpersonal relation and communication with patients have negative effect on patients' adherence to the long duration of TB treatment.
authors.affiliation: Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Luka Mangveep
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Idris Suleiman
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Hadjia
authors.affiliation: Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nguku
authors.affiliation: Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Ndadilnasiya Endie
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Waziri
authors.affiliation: Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Moses Obiemen
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Akhimien
authors.affiliation: Tuberculosis Unit, World Health Organization Country Office, Abuja, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Phillip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Patrobas
authors.affiliation: Global Public Health Solutions, Decatur GA, USA.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nsubuga
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003150:Community Health Workers / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D055552:Infectious Disease Medicine / Q000193:education; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence / Q000523:psychology; D008880:Midwifery; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents
keywords: Nigeria; Tuberculosis; adherence; attitude; health care workers; knowledge