title: Educational status and awareness among tuberculosis patients of Karachi.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate and analyse patients' educational status and awareness regarding tuberculosis in the context of demographic distribution.
  
  
  METHODS
  The survey-based study was conducted at Tuberculosis Diagnostic Centres in Karachi from March to October 2013. A predesigned questionnaire was used as the data collection tool. It was filled through face-to-face interviews. Data was anylsed using SPSS 20.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 1260 respondents, 646(51.2%) were women and 614(48.7%) were men. Women were more affected by extra pulmonary tuberculosis (65%; n=123) compared to men (35%; n=65), while the reverse was the case for pulmonary tuberculosis, with men accounting for 52% (n=557) and women 48% (n=514). Pulmonary tuberculosis was prevalent in all age groups of both genders, but was most notable in the 11-30 years age group. Educational status of tuberculosis patients indicated men as being more educated with 52% (n=91) and 55% (n=258) for above and below secondary school certificate level or education respectively. The level of awareness and pursuance of precautionary measures was higher among literate males (58%; n=108 and 54%; n=347) compared to females at 42% (n=77) and 46% (n=296) respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings may prove helpful in convincing the educated tuberculosis patients to reform their lifestyles in order to improve their living environments to prevent the spread of the infectious disease, thereby improving the quality of life in the city.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography, Department of Geology, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miandad
authors.affiliation: DAWNGIS, Geospatial and Statistical Research Division, Dawn Media Group, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Syed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nawaz-Ul-Huda
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography, Department of Geology, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Farkhunda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.affiliation: Department of Geology, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Salma
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hamza
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography, Federal Urdu University of Arts, Sciences and Technology, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Azam
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: TB, Karachi, Education, Demography, Awareness