Vukugah Thomas Achombwom, Akoku Derick Akompab, Tchoupa Micheline Mekemnang, Lambert Edward
Atlantic International University, Honolulu, HI, USA.
Catholic University of Cameroon, Bamenda, Cameroon.
J Trop Med. 2022 Dec 15;2022:4482131. doi: 10.1155/2022/4482131. eCollection 2022.
This study was designed to assess the level of knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of healthcare workers (HCWs) on pediatric TB management and its associated factors in the Centre Region of Cameroon.
A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and March 2022. HCWs, selected through a multistage sampling technique in 21 health facilities, were interviewed using a KAP questionnaire on pediatric TB management. Logistic regression analyses were used to test associations between HCWs' characteristics and knowledge, attitudes, and practice levels at a 0.05 level of significance.
The median age of the participants was 35 years (IQR = 30-42), and the majority (73.2%) were females. About half (50.9%) of the participants (173/340) had good knowledge, 55.6% (189/340) had a good attitude, and 57.1% (194/340) had good practice scores on pediatric TB management. Having a bachelor's degree and above, working in the TB unit, and having received training on pediatric TB in the last five years were significantly associated with good knowledge of pediatric TB management. Similarly, having a bachelor's degree or higher and more than five years of experience providing TB services were significantly associated with a good attitude towards pediatric TB management. Being a general practitioner, nurse, and lab technician was significantly associated with good practice in pediatric TB management.
The level of knowledge, attitude, and practice on pediatric TB management among HCWs was suboptimal, as substantial gaps were identified. The Ministry of Health and other international organizations need to prioritize training, coaching, and mentoring support to help HCWs improve their knowledge, attitude, and practice to detect, diagnose, and treat pediatric TB.
本研究旨在评估喀麦隆中部地区医护人员对儿童结核病管理的知识、态度和实践水平（KAP）及其相关因素。
于2022年1月至3月进行了一项横断面研究。通过多阶段抽样技术在21个医疗机构中选取医护人员，使用关于儿童结核病管理的KAP问卷进行访谈。采用逻辑回归分析在0.05的显著性水平下检验医护人员特征与知识、态度和实践水平之间的关联。
参与者的年龄中位数为35岁（四分位间距=30-42），大多数（73.2%）为女性。约一半（50.9%）的参与者（173/340）对儿童结核病管理有良好的知识，55.6%（189/340）有良好的态度，57.1%（194/340）在儿童结核病管理方面有良好的实践得分。拥有学士学位及以上、在结核病科室工作以及在过去五年中接受过儿童结核病培训与对儿童结核病管理的良好知识显著相关。同样，拥有学士学位或更高学历以及超过五年提供结核病服务的经验与对儿童结核病管理的良好态度显著相关。作为全科医生、护士和实验室技术员与儿童结核病管理的良好实践显著相关。
医护人员对儿童结核病管理的知识、态度和实践水平不理想，因为发现了很大差距。卫生部和其他国际组织需要优先提供培训、指导和辅导支持，以帮助医护人员提高他们的知识、态度和实践，从而检测、诊断和治疗儿童结核病。
