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BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2014

Open Access 01-12-2014 | Research article

Knowledge about tuberculosis among undergraduate health care students in 15 Italian universities: a cross-sectional study

Authors: Maria Teresa Montagna, Christian Napoli, Silvio Tafuri, Antonella Agodi, Francesco Auxilia, Beatrice Casini, Maria Franca Coscia, Marcello Mario D’Errico, Margherita Ferrante, Angelo Fortunato, Cinzia Germinario, Domenico Martinelli, Giuseppe Michele Masanotti, Maria Fatima Massenti, Gabriele Messina, Paolo Montuori, Ida Mura, Giovanni Battista Orsi, Alessia Quaranta, Giovanni Sotgiu, Armando Stefanati, Stefano Tardivo, Maria Valeria Torregrossa, Anna Maria Tortorano, Licia Veronesi, Raffaele Zarrilli, Cesira Pasquarella

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2014

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Abstract

Background

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.

Methods

In 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.

Results

The 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.

Conclusions

Although 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.
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Metadata
Title
Knowledge about tuberculosis among undergraduate health care students in 15 Italian universities: a cross-sectional study
Authors
Maria Teresa Montagna
Christian Napoli
Silvio Tafuri
Antonella Agodi
Francesco Auxilia
Beatrice Casini
Maria Franca Coscia
Marcello Mario D’Errico
Margherita Ferrante
Angelo Fortunato
Cinzia Germinario
Domenico Martinelli
Giuseppe Michele Masanotti
Maria Fatima Massenti
Gabriele Messina
Paolo Montuori
Ida Mura
Giovanni Battista Orsi
Alessia Quaranta
Giovanni Sotgiu
Armando Stefanati
Stefano Tardivo
Maria Valeria Torregrossa
Anna Maria Tortorano
Licia Veronesi
Raffaele Zarrilli
Cesira Pasquarella
Publication date
01-12-2014
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2014
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-14-970

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