A multicentre study of doctors’ approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis in Turkey

Authors

  • Canan Eren Dagli Department of Pulmonology, Faculty of Medicine, Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras
  • Tanrikulu Abdullah Cetin Department of Pulmonology, Faculty of Medicine, Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras
  • Acemoglu Hamit Department of Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, Ataturk University, Erzurum
  • Palanci Yilmaz Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Kafkas University, Kars
  • Yilmaz Gurdal Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Blacksea Technical University, Trabzon
  • Guler Ekrem Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras
  • Sahin Levent Department of Anesthesiology Health College, Dumlupınar University, Kutahya
  • Dagli Abdullah Department of Pediatrics, Kahramanmaras Children’s health and obstetrics state hospital, Kahramanmaras
  • Koksal Nurhan Department of Pulmonology, Faculty of Medicine, Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.243

Keywords:

tuberculosis, doctors, knowledge, diagnosis, treatment

Abstract

Background: Inappropriate anti-tuberculosis (TB) treatment, particularly at the beginning of the disease, is a major cause of drug resistance. This survey was performed to evaluate doctors’ approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of TB. Method: The study was conducted in 12 cities, each from a different geographical region of Turkey. A prepared questionnaire about their academic careers and experience in TB and its treatment was distributed to the doctors. Results: The research group consisted of 1,112 doctors. The mean age was 32.7 ± 6.6 years. The results showed that 75.9% of the doctors had insufficient knowledge about TB. The results of the study further showed that chest specialists, female doctors, physicians who work in a first stage hospital, doctors who had previously diagnosed TB and those who had access to a microbiology laboratory had a better level of knowledge about tuberculosis and its treatment than other doctors. Conclusion: A great diversity was seen between daily practice of doctors and national guidelines about TB. Educational programmes conducted by specialists in TB control may help to standardize and increase the knowledge of TB.

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Published

2009-06-01

How to Cite

1.
Dagli CE, Cetin TA, Hamit A, Yilmaz P, Gurdal Y, Ekrem G, Levent S, Abdullah D, Nurhan K (2009) A multicentre study of doctors’ approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis in Turkey. J Infect Dev Ctries 3:357–364. doi: 10.3855/jidc.243

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 05: June 2009

Section

Original Articles

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