Factors Associated with Tuberculosis Stigma among School Adolescents in Bangkok, Thailand

Abstract

A descriptive study design was employed to explore factors associated with tuberculosis stigma among school adolescents in Bangkok, Thailand. The participants were school adolescents aged 15-19 years old, who were studying in grades 10-12 in Bangkok-based schools under the Office of Basic Education Commission (OBEC). Data were collected by questionnaires consisting of the following four parts: (1) factors related to demographic characteristics, (2) knowledge about pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), (3) attitudes toward pulmonary tuberculosis, and (4) TB stigma. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, whereas Chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test were used to compare proportions and associations between variables. The result showed that factors related to demographic characteristics significantly associated with TB stigma were sex, age, classes, and type of accommodation (p<0.05). Similarly, attitudes toward pulmonary TB were significantly associated with TB stigma (p<0.05), while knowledge about pulmonary TB was not. The study suggested that the results should be utilyzed to assist the development of TB interventions for enhancing TB knowledge, fostering a positive attitude toward pulmonary TB as well as to advocate social mobilization both directly and indirectly in educational institutions such as public or private schools, vocational schools, and universities in order to reduce TB stigma and discrimination against TB patients.