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Table 7 Attitudes and practices related to TB among the 195 GPs included in the survey

From: A cross-sectional survey of the knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding tuberculosis among general practitioners working in municipalities with and without asylum centres in eastern Norway

 

GPwAS

GPw/oAS

Total

n

%

n

%

n

%

Who are the persons most likely to become infected with TB in Norway?

(Multiple answers)

 Homeless persons

22

26.8

41

36.3

63

32.3

 Children less than 5 years

2

2.4

5

4.4

7

3.6

 Senior citizens

10

12.2

14

12.4

24

12.3

 People living with HIV/AIDS

56

68.3

87

77.0

143

73,3

 Health care workers returning from assignments abroad

30

36.6

31

27.4

61

31.2

 Health care workers treating a confirmed case

27

32.9

30

26.6

57

29.2

 Immigrants

64

78.1

87

77.0

151

77.4

 Family members of a confirmed case

56

68.3

75

66.4

131

67.2

 Prison inmates

6

7.3

14

12.4

20

10.3

 Drug users

34

41.5

55

48.7

89

45.6

Is TB a major public health threat in Norway?

 Yes. TB is already more than just a major threat

4

4.9

4

3.5

8

4.1

 Yes. TB poses a serious threat to Norway

21

25.6

31

27.4

52

26.7

 No. TB are well controlled so there is no major concern

52

63.4

69

61.1

121

62.0

 No. TB is not even a small threat at this time

2

2.4

3

2.7

5

2.6

 Not sure

3

3,7

6

5.3

9

4.6

How can a person become infected with TB? (Multiple answers)

 Through handshakes

3

3.7

7

6.2

10

5.1

 Through the air when a person with TB coughs

79

96.3

112

99.1

191

97.8

 Through sharing dishes

18

22.0

36

31.9

54

27.7

 Through eating from the same plate

12

14.6

27

23.9

39

20.0

 Through contact with blood

9

11.0

7

6.2

16

8.2

 Through food and water

4

4.9

10

8.9

14

7.2

 Through touching items in public

3

3.7

6

5.3

9

4.2

 Through unprotected sex

3

3.7

3

2.7

6

3.1

 Not sure

3

3,7

1

0.9

4

2.1

Under what circumstances are health education messages on TB given to patients?

(Multiple answers)

 World TB day

1

1.2

0

0

1

0.5

 BCG immunization

10

12,2

9

8.0

19

9.7

 General health promotion

12

14.6

14

12.4

26

13.3

 Suspected or confirmed cases

24

29.3

26

23.0

50

25.4

 Suspected cases and their families in a clinical setting

21

25.6

30

26.6

51

26.2

 Confirmed cases and their families in clinical or community setting

3

3.7

5

4.4

8

4.1

 Health education on TB in general not provided

41

50.0

60

53.1

101

51.8

 Others

8

9.8

8

7.1

16

8.2

What is the primary diagnostic test that is usually requested to confirm or rule out a case of active pulmonary TB?

 IGRA test

34

41.5

39

34.5

73

37.4

 Chest X ray

13

15.9

19

16.8

32

16.4

 Mantoux test

8

9.8

11

9.7

19

9.7

 Sputum smear microscopy / culture

21

25.6

36

31.9

57

29.2

 Blood culture

0

0

0

0

0

0

 Not sure

6

7.3

8

7.1

14

7.2

When can a TB patient be considered as noninfectious?

 Received adequate TB treatment for minimum 2 weeks

13

15.9

25

22.1

38

19.5

 Negative chest X-ray

1

1.2

2

1.8

3

1.5

 No cough

6

7.3

6

5.3

12

6.2

 Completed the whole treatment

30

36.6

38

33.6

68

34.9

 Conversion of IGRA test from positive to negative

14

17.1

12

10.6

26

13.3

 Not sure

18

22.0

30

26.6

48

24.6

What is your role as GP when one of your patients is treated for TB?

 To be kept informed about the ongoing treatment and when appropriate be involved in the clinical monitoring of the patient under supervision by specialist

66

80.5

88

77.9

154

79,0

 No role. The responsibility lays with the specialist, TB coordinator and medical officers in the municipality

8

9.8

7

6.2

15

7.7

 Not sure

8

9.8

18

15.9

26

13.3