title: Knowledge of tuberculosis management using directly observed treatment short course therapy among final year medical students in South Western Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Equipping medical graduates with the competence to manage tuberculosis is not just imperative but also urgent as the diseases have been consistently listed as one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in Nigeria. However, there were no baseline studies done on knowledge of final year medical students on various aspects of TB diagnosis and management under directly observed treatment short course therapy (DOTS) which forms the basis of this study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 241 final year medical students from three medical colleges in Nigeria were interviewed. The questions assessed their knowledge about various modes of transmission, symptoms and management of tuberculosis under DOTS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More than half of the respondents (i.e. 69%) had poor knowledge on TB disease. Only 33.6% mentioned sputum smear as the best tool of diagnosing TB according to guideline. Poor knowledge was also exhibited when asked of various categories under DOTS treatment regimen, as 46.1% correctly mentioned cat 1 and 2. Minority 18.7% and 6.7% had complete knowledge of 6 months duration for new TB cases and 8 months for re-treatment cases respectively. Less than one tenth, i.e. 4.6% and 2.9% could correctly defined what is called a new TB case and re-treatment cases according to standard guideline.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study reveals gross inadequacies in TB knowledge and management practices among Nigerian final year medical students. There is urgent need for incorporation of National TB guideline into existing undergraduate medical education curriculum as well as students rotation through activities in DOTS clinic.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State.
authors.forename: Olarewaju Sunday
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Olakunle
authors.affiliation: Clinical Sciences Department, Management Sciences for Health, Abuja, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Olanrewaju
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Oladimeji
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Osun State University, Osogbo Nigeria.
authors.forename: Adebimpe Wasiu
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Olalekan
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State.
authors.forename: Adenike
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Olugbenga-Bello
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Callistus
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Akinleye
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State.
authors.forename: Olarewaju Abiodun
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Oluwatoyin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003479:Curriculum; D023801:Directly Observed Therapy / Q000379:methods; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D013337:Students, Medical; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents
keywords: Directly observed treatment short course therapy (DOTS); Tuberculosis