To Assess the Knowledge and Awareness of Interns Regarding the Management of Tuberculosis as per Recent RNTCP (2017-2025) Guidelines – A Cross Sectional Study

Abstract

India has been engaged in Tuberculosis control activities for more than 50 years as India is the highest TB burdened country in the world. One such initiative is Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) which has been rechristened as National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP). The change in name is in line with the larger goal of eliminating the disease by 2025. Objective: The aim of this cross-sectional study is to assess the knowledge and awareness of interns regarding the management of tuberculosis as per recent RNTCP guidelines. Materials & Methods: A structured questionnaire was provided to 111 interns to be filled in a stipulated time. The data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistical parameters and expressed in percentage. Result: Out of a total of 111 interns, 48 (43.24%) were males and 63 (56.75%) were females. Good knowledge was seen among the interns regarding the cardinal symptoms of TB as well as definition of MDR-TB. 92.79% of the participants responded rightly about two sputum samples being taken for diagnosis of TB. Only 76.57% of interns knew the principle of treatment of TB as daily administration of fixed-dose combination of first-line anti-tubercular drugs as per appropriate weight bands and 61.27% of interns were unfamiliar of chemoprophylaxis of tuberculosis according to the recent RNTCP guidelines. Only 71.17% of the participants were updated about the follow-up procedure according to new guidelines. But only 36.93% of participants could answer Cotrimoxazole as the effective drug used in HIV-TB co-infection apart from routine TB drugs to reduce mortality. Conclusion: This survey is providing valuable information that there is deficiency of knowledge among the interns regarding management of tuberculosis according to recent RNTCP guidelines which can lead to treatment failure and thereby causing a hindrance to elimination of TB from our country by 2025