title: Updates on Knowledge, Attitude and Preventive Practices on Tuberculosis among Healthcare Workers.
abstract: Ranking as the most communicable disease killer worldwide, tuberculosis, has accounted with a total of 9.6 million new tuberculosis cases with 1.5 million tuberculosis-related deaths reported globally in 2014. Tuberculosis has remain as an occupational hazard for healthcare workers since 1920s and due to several tuberculosis outbreaks in healthcare settings in the early 1990s, the concern about the transmission to both patients and healthcare workers has been raised. Healthcare workers have two to three folds greater the risk of active tuberculosis than the general population. Several studies on knowledge, attitude and practices on tuberculosis among healthcare workers worldwide have revealed that majority of the participated healthcare workers had good knowledge on tuberculosis. Most of the healthcare workers from South India and South Africa also reported to have positive attitude whereas a study in Thailand reported that most of the healthcare providers have negative attitude towards tuberculosis patients. Nevertheless, majority of the healthcare workers have low level of practice on tuberculosis prevention. An improved communication between healthcare workers and the patients as well as their families is the key to better therapeutic outcomes with good knowledge, attitude and preventive practice towards tuberculosis.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Biostatistics and Research Methodology, School of Medical Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Farhanah Abd
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Wahab
authors.affiliation: Unit of Biostatistics and Research Methodology, School of Medical Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Sarimah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abdullah
authors.affiliation: Center for Neuroscience Services and Research (P3Neuro), Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Jafri Malin
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Abdullah
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Hasnan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jaafar
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medical Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Siti Suraiya Md
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Noor
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Wan Mohd Zahiruddin Wan
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Mohammad
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Abdul Aziz Mohamed
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Yusoff
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tharakan
authors.affiliation: Gleneagles Medical Center, 1, Jalan Pangkor, Georgetown, 10050 Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Shalini
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhaskar
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Muthuraju
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sangu
authors.affiliation: Forensic Medicine, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, 50586 Jalan Pahang, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Mohd Shah
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Mahmood
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, 50586 Jalan Pahang, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Fauziah
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kassim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, 50586 Jalan Pahang, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Md Hanip
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Rafia
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, 50586 Jalan Pahang, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Mohammed Safari Mohammed
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Haspani
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, 50586 Jalan Pahang, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Azmi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alias
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition "Salvador Zubiran", Avenida Vasco de Quiroga No. 15, Sección 16, Mexico, D.F. 14000.
authors.forename: Rogelio Hernández
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Pando
keywords: attitudes; health knowledge; healthcare; practice; tuberculosis