Tuberculosis Knowledge:A Survey among Students of a Medical College from Coastal Karnataka, India

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most common diseases, and globally, it ranks second, first being AIDS. It has been said that one-third of the global population is already infected with M. tuberculosis. By 2020, an estimated 200 million of these people would contract TB. A very crucial step for containment of TB is to make sure that there is understanding of its risk factors, mode of transmission, and diagnosis. Aims and Objectives: This study aimed to assess the knowledge and understanding of MBBS students at coastal Karnataka, India Medical College, about Tuberculosis. Methodology: An online survey was conducted addressing areas of general factors, risk and transmission factors, diagnosis factors, treatment, and prevention factors. A total of 31 statements were given in the online survey. Results: The respondents showed overall good knowledge about Tuberculosis. The females had a better understanding than males, and the interns scored better on the study than the other MBBS students. Conclusion: This study has shown that the students have high essential awareness about TB. However, section by section analysis shows that knowledge about a few topics needs to be strengthened.