title: Trained community volunteers improve tuberculosis knowledge and attitudes among adults in a periurban community in southwest Nigeria.
abstract: Nigeria has the world's 10th largest tuberculosis (TB) burden. Targeted community-based interventions can potentially help reduce TB incidence. We designed an intervention in a periurban community where 10 community volunteers were trained to provide community TB education and also detect and refer TB suspects to a nearby clinic. To determine the effect of the intervention on knowledge, attitude, and preventive practices of TB, we compared results from a pre-intervention survey with those of a post-intervention survey. Pre-intervention, respondents had a mean knowledge score of 10.6 ± 7.0 of a possible 34, a mean attitude score of 5.8 ± 3.3 of a possible 10, and a mean practice score of 5.3 ± 1.4 of a possible 7. The intervention significantly increased the mean knowledge score to 16 ± 5.4 (P < 0.001) and mean attitude score to 7.0 ± 1.8 (P < 0.001); however, there was no statistically significant difference in the mean practice score. Eight TB suspects were referred to the clinic, and one suspect was subsequently diagnosed with TB. The use of trained community volunteers to share information on TB improved the overall knowledge and attitudes of respondents. Continued empowerment of the community should be encouraged to promote TB prevention and care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health and Primary Care, College of Medicine of the University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria; Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Community Health, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria; Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Medicine of the University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria mbalogun@cmul.edu.ng.
authors.forename: Mobolanle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balogun
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health and Primary Care, College of Medicine of the University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria; Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Community Health, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria; Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Medicine of the University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Adekemi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sekoni
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health and Primary Care, College of Medicine of the University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria; Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Community Health, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria; Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Medicine of the University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Seema Thakore
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Meloni
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health and Primary Care, College of Medicine of the University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria; Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Community Health, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria; Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Medicine of the University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Oluwakemi
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Odukoya
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health and Primary Care, College of Medicine of the University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria; Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Community Health, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria; Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Medicine of the University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Adebayo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Onajole
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health and Primary Care, College of Medicine of the University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria; Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Community Health, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria; Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Medicine of the University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Olukemi
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Longe-Peters
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health and Primary Care, College of Medicine of the University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria; Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Community Health, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria; Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Medicine of the University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Folasade
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ogunsola
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health and Primary Care, College of Medicine of the University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria; Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Community Health, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria; Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Medicine of the University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Phyllis J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kanki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003150:Community Health Workers; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult