Study on the Influencing Factors of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice About Tuberculosis Among Freshmen in Jiangsu, China: A Cross-Sectional Study

Figures & data

Table 1 Basic Situation of Participators

Basic Demographic Characteristics	Frequency	Constituent Ratio (%)
Type of institution
University	5130	73.50
College	1850	26.50
Gender
Male	3375	48.35
Female	3605	51.65
Age group
Under 18 years old	4694	67.25
Above 18 years old	2286	32.75
Region
Urban area	3320	47.56
Rural area	2316	33.18
Father’s education level
Primary school diploma or below	492	7.05
Junior school diploma	2530	36.25
High school diploma	1966	28.17
Bachelor’s degree	1837	26.32
Master’s degree or above	155	2.21
Mother’s education level
Primary school diploma or below	1000	14.33
Junior school diploma	2546	36.48
High school diploma	1932	27.68
Bachelor’s degree	1424	20.40
Master’s degree or above	78	1.11
Father’s occupation
Worker	2021	28.95
Farmer	299	4.28
Medical worker	124	1.78
Educational worker	328	4.70
Other scientific personnel	85	1.22
Business and service industries	1610	23.07
Unemployed	76	1.09
Others	2437	34.91
Mother’s occupation
Worker	1389	19.90
Farmer	407	5.83
Medical worker	228	3.27
Educational worker	461	6.60
Other scientific personnel	36	0.52
Business and service industries	1837	26.32
Unemployed	723	10.36
Others	1899	27.21
Family monthly income (RMB)
≥1000	926	13.27
≥3000	1686	24.15
≥5000	1880	26.93
≥7000	1176	16.85
≥9000	1312	18.80
Only child or not
Yes	4202	60.20
No	2778	39.80
Living mode during high school period
Live with father	196	2.81
Live with mother	799	11.45
Live with parents	3605	51.65
Live with grandparents	293	4.20
Live in dormitories	1940	27.79
Others	147	2.11

Table 2 Awareness of Core Knowledge About Tuberculosis

	Type of Institution				Gender				Region
	Undergraduate n(%)	Collegen (%)	χ^2 Value	P value	Male n(%)	Femalen (%)	χ^2 Value	P value	Urban n(%)	Rural n(%)	χ^2 Value	P value
Q1	4814 (93.84)	1612 (87.14)	84.15	<0.001	3141 (93.07)	3285 (91.12)	9.01	0.003	3089 (93.04)	3337 (91.18)	8.31	0.004
Q2	4760 (92.79)	1623 (87.73)	48.74	<0.001	3075 (91.11)	3308 (91.76)	0.94	0.332	3050 (91.87)	3333 (91.07)	1.43	0.232
Q3	4597 (89.61)	1500 (81.08)	92.05	<0.001	2970 (88.00)	3127 (86.74)	2.50	0.114	2943 (88.64)	3164 (86.17)	9.61	0.002
Q4	4411 (85.98)	1402 (75.78)	103.77	<0.001	2854 (84.56)	2959 (82.08)	7.72	0.005	2882 (86.81)	2931 (80.08)	56.61	<0.001
Q5	4993 (97.33)	1738 (93.95)	46.09	<0.001	3232 (95.76)	3499 (97.06)	8.52	0.004	3220 (96.99)	3511 (95.93)	5.68	0.017
Q6	4594 (89.55)	1547 (83.62)	46.87	<0.001	3017 (89.39)	3124 (86.66)	12.33	<0.001	2953 (88.95)	3188 (87.10)	5.59	0.018
Q7	4444 (86.63)	1460 (78.92)	64.61	<0.001	2850 (84.44)	3054 (84.72)	6.48	0.039	2838 (85.48)	3066 (83.77)	3.91	0.048

Abbreviations: Q1, Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that could seriously endanger human health?; Q2, Tuberculosis is mainly transmitted through droplets when patients cough, sneeze, or speak loudly?; Q3, Those who have a cough, cough up phlegm for more than two weeks, or have blood-stained sputum should be suspected of tuberculosis?; Q4, There are specialized institutions for Tuberculosis testing and treatment in cities and towns at or above the county level in China?; Q5, Tuberculosis patients should go to professional tuberculosis prevention and control institutions for testing, treatment and management?; Q6, As long as regular treatment is maintained, most tuberculosis cases can be cured?; Q7, Does our country provide free first-line anti-tuberculosis drugs and major tests for infectious tuberculosis patients?.

Table 3 Evaluation of 4 Models

	f1-Score	RMSE	Absolute Error
Linear regression model	0.735	0.223	0.453
Logistic regression model	0.753	0.341	0.341
Decision tree model	0.771	0.390	0.390
Random forest model	0.774	0.368	0.368

Abbreviation: RMSE, root-mean-square error.

Figure 1 Ranking of factors affecting overall awareness rate of core knowledge about TB in 4 models. (A) Linear regression model. (B) Logistic regression model. (C) Decision tree model. (D) Random forest model.

Table 4 Outcomes of Path Analysis

Path	Estimate	SE	CR	P
Knowledge→Attitude	0.29	0.01	20.71	<0.001
Attitude→Behavior	0.64	0.04	15.99	<0.001
Knowledge→Q7	1.00	–	–	–
Knowledge→Q6	0.75	0.03	23.60	<0.001
Knowledge→Q4	0.87	0.04	23.76	<0.001
Knowledge→Q3	0.77	0.03	23.14	<0.001
Knowledge→Q1	0.54	0.03	17.51	<0.001
Attitude→Q12	1.00	–	–	–
Attitude→Q11	1.16	0.03	41.64	<0.001
Attitude→Q10	1.06	0.03	37.90	<0.001
Attitude→Q9	1.10	0.03	32.46	<0.001

Abbreviations: SE, standard error; CR, critical ratios; Q1, Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that could seriously endanger human health?; Q3, Those who have a cough, cough up phlegm for more than two weeks or blood-stained sputum should be suspected of tuberculosis?; Q4, There are specialized institutions for Tuberculosis testing and treatment in cities and towns at or above the county level in China?; Q6, As long as regular treatment is maintained, most tuberculosis cases can be cured?; Q7, Does our country provide free first-line anti-tuberculosis drugs and major testings for infectious tuberculosis patients?; Q9, If someone around you gets tuberculosis, will you take the initiative to do Tuberculosis testing?; Q10, If you have a cough, cough up phlegm for more than two weeks, or blood-stained sputum, will you take the initiative to see a doctor?; Q11, If you have tuberculosis, will you remind people around you to go to the hospital for tuberculosis-related testing?; Q12, If you have tuberculosis, would you choose to go to a professional tuberculosis prevention and control institution for treatment?.

Figure 2 Path analysis of structural equation model.

Abbreviations: Q1, Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that could seriously endanger human health?; Q3, Those who have a cough, cough up phlegm for more than two weeks or blood-stained sputum should be suspected of tuberculosis?; Q4, There are specialized institutions for Tuberculosis testing and treatment in cities and towns at or above the county level in China?; Q6, As long as regular treatment is maintained, most tuberculosis cases can be cured?; Q7, Does our country provide free first-line anti-tuberculosis drugs and major testings for infectious tuberculosis patients?; Q9, If someone around you gets tuberculosis, will you take the initiative to do Tuberculosis testing?; Q10, If you have a cough, cough up phlegm for more than two weeks, or blood-stained sputum, will you take the initiative to see doctor?; Q11, If you have tuberculosis, will you remind people around you to go to the hospital for tuberculosis-related testing?; Q12, If you have tuberculosis, would you choose to go to a professional tuberculosis prevention and control institution for treatment?.