Abstract
BackgroundThe Italian Study Group on Hospital Hygiene of the Italian Society of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Public Health conducted a multicentre survey aiming to evaluate undergraduate health care students’ knowledge of tuberculosis and tuberculosis control measures in Italy.MethodsIn October 2012–June 2013, a sample of medical and nursing students from 15 Italian universities were enrolled on a voluntary basis and asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire investigating both general knowledge of tuberculosis (aetiology, clinical presentation, outcome, screening methods) and personal experiences and practices related to tuberculosis prevention. Data were analysed through multivariable regression using Stata software.ResultsThe sample consisted of 2,220 students in nursing (72.6%) and medicine (27.4%) courses. Our findings clearly showed that medical students had a better knowledge of tuberculosis than did nursing students.Although the vast majority of the sample (up to 95%) answered questions about tuberculosis aetiology correctly, only 60% of the students gave the correct responses regarding clinical aspects and vaccine details. Overall, 66.9% of the students had been screened for tuberculosis, but less than 20% of those with a negative result on the tuberculin skin test were vaccinated. Multivariable regression analysis showed that age and type of study programme (nursing vs. medical course) were determinants of answering the questions correctly.ConclusionsAlthough our data showed sufficient knowledge on tuberculosis, this survey underlines the considerable need for improvement in knowledge about the disease, especially among nursing students. In light of the scientific recommendations concerning tuberculosis knowledge among students, progress of current health care curricula aimed to develop students’ skills in this field is needed.
Highlights
The Italian Study Group on Hospital Hygiene of the Italian Society of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Public Health conducted a multicentre survey aiming to evaluate undergraduate health care students’ knowledge of tuberculosis and tuberculosis control measures in Italy
No data were available with regard to the number of non-participants and how this could have affected the results of the survey
Our findings showed a better knowledge of TB among medical students than among nursing students (Table 1)
Summary
The Italian Study Group on Hospital Hygiene of the Italian Society of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Public Health conducted a multicentre survey aiming to evaluate undergraduate health care students’ knowledge of tuberculosis and tuberculosis control measures in Italy. In the last three decades, the emergence of HIV/AIDS as well as the appearance and spread of drug-resistant forms of tuberculosis (TB) have been associated with an increase in the TB rates in several low-, middle- and high-income countries [1,2]. Together with HIV/AIDS and malaria, TB is one of the most significant causes of death worldwide, most frequently affecting men in their economically productive age groups [3,4]. With a TB incidence rate considerably below 10 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over the last 10 years, Italy can be considered a low-burden country. TB has increasingly become an illness affecting specific population subgroups; approximately 40% of reported TB cases in Italy involve foreign patients resident in Italy. Compared with Italy as a whole, TB rates are higher in the large cities of central and northern Italy, most likely because of the larger presence of foreigners or the more extensive commercial activity in these areas [5]
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