RETRACTED: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perceptions Toward Tuberculosis in Bangladesh: A Cross-Sectional Mixed Methods Study

In Bangladesh, Tuberculosis (TB) is a key public health concern. In this study we assessed knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions (KAP) towards TB among the general population. A cross-sectional mixed-methods study was conducted between March and August 2014, where a total of 400 adults were interviewed at Dhaka city in Bangladesh. The overall knowledge of TB was very limited despite 99.5% of the study respondents having heard of TB. About 99.0% stated correctly that cough was one of the major signs and symptoms of TB. About 39.0% mentioned that through airborne disease someone could get TB. With regard to curability of TB, 362 people replied that TB can be cured. About 77.0% informed that TB could be cured by taking medicines such as antibiotics or others. Sixty five percent of respondents knew someone who had have TB. The mean summary score for TB knowledge was 40 out of 100 (SD 0.5). Regression analysis shows that people with tertiary level of education were connected with higher TB knowledge and people having no income were related with lower TB knowledge. A lack of awareness was associated to delay in seeking treatment because people did not recognize the symptoms of tuberculosis. To improve knowledge of TB among people having no income or even lower income group more emphasis should be given and also more awareness is required to develop the individual’s perception amongst their neighbors in the study area. The alertness campaigns for TB knowledge should be a major concern countrywide in Bangladesh.