Health Information Needs of Tuberculosis Patients in Lagos State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

This study is aimed at identifying health information needs of tuberculosis (TB) patients, their preferred sources for receiving health information, and the factors influencing the choice source used. A descriptive cross-sectional study was the design adopted. The study population was TB patients older than 18 years old who were accessing health-care service in the Directly Observed Treatment (DOT) Center. A total of one hundred and ninety-eight (198) patients participated in the study and a questionnaire was used to collect the data. The data were analyzed using SPSS software. The findings of the study show that the health information needs of tuberculosis patients are as follows: prevention of tuberculosis (53.0%); causes of tuberculosis disease (48.1%); and drug information about the disease (47.6%). The outcome also revealed that the respondents chose medical doctors and nurses as the most preferred source of information, with accessibility as the main factor influencing the information source user. The study outcome demonstrated that tuberculosis patients acknowledge the need for health information to improve their health conditions. Therefore, health-care professionals should redirect their educational programs and efforts on educating the TB patients on the various types of information sources that could enhance their health conditions.

KEYWORDS:

• DOT center
• health information needs
• information sources
• patients
• tuberculosis

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the participants in the study and the kind permission given by the Director-General of NIMR to conduct this study at the Institute DOT Centre.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.