Impact of sensitisation programme on screening tests for latent tuberculosis infection among health-care workers: A questionnaire-based study

Abstract

Background: Timely and accurate identification of people with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is essential for controlling Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Hence, it is important that health-care workers have the latest and adequate knowledge about the existing diagnostic modalities. Methods: In this prospective, questionnaire-based study, various health-care workers were asked to respond to a 25-item questionnaire before the sensitisation programme (workshop) regarding knowledge, procedure and interpretation of screening tests for LTBI (tuberculin skin test [TST] and interferon-gamma release assay [IGRA]). The same questionnaire was repeated on the completion of the workshop to assess its impact. Results: The mean baseline knowledge among technicians, nurses, postgraduates and interns was 42.9%, 42.1%, 51.9% and 53.6%, which improved significantly to 84.2%, 83.4%, 89.4% and 89.5%, respectively after the workshop. Statistically, a significant difference was observed between pre- and post-workshop proprtion of all health-care workers with respect to the knowledge of TST and IGRA (P < 0.05). Conclusions: This questionnaire-based study highlights the importance of training various health-care workers on diagnostic modalities for LTBI since the current study findings revealed that training increased the knowledge scores of the participants significantly.

Keywords

• health-care workers
• interferon-gamma release assay
• knowledge
• tuberculin skin test
• tuberculosis