Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare (Jun 2023)
Health Care Providers’ Knowledge of Tuberculosis and Diabetes Mellitus Comorbidity in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
Abstract
Christian Kakisingi,1 Michel Kabamba,2 Michel Muteba,3 Hermann Tamunbango,4 Aristophane Tanon,5 Hippolyte Situakibanza,6 Claude Mwamba1 1Internal Medicine Department, University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo; 2Public Health Department, University of Kamina, Kamina, Democratic Republic of the Congo; 3Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa; 4Epidemiology Department, Institut Supérieur de Techniques Médicales de Likasi, Likasi, Democratic Republic of the Congo; 5Specialities and Medicine Department, University of Félix Houphouët-Boigny of Abidjan Cocody, Abidjan, Ivory Coast; 6Internal Medicine Department, Tropical Diseases, Infectious and Parasitic Department, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the CongoCorrespondence: Christian Kakisingi, Email [email protected]: Tuberculosis-Diabetes mellitus (TB-DM) co-morbidity is a growing scourge in the world. The new approaches and interventions for TB control implemented by the Tuberculosis National Control Program (TNCP) in DRC require the involvement of health care providers for their success.Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the knowledge of health care provider on different aspects of the management of TB-DM co-morbidity and to compare this knowledge according to the health care system, the type of providers and the number of years of experience.Methods: Cross-sectional and analytic study was conducted in 11 health care facilities in the Lubumbashi Health District, selected by reasoned choice, and an electronic questionnaire was administered to health care providers. These providers were interviewed on the different aspects of the management of the TB-DM comorbidity. The data were presented and compared in relation to knowledge about TB, DM, and TB-DM comorbidity.Results: A total of 113 providers were interviewed, predominantly males and physicians. Questions related to knowledge about DM were better answered. Doctors compared to paramedics; tertiary-level providers compared to secondary-level providers had better responses to the different questions. There is a statistically significant correlation between the level of knowledge of TB, DM and the type of health care provider, the number of years of experience.Conclusion: The present study shows that there are gaps in the knowledge of our health care providers and community members on the recommendations of the DRC TB guidelines (Programme AntiTuberculeux Intégré 5: PATI 5) in general and on the management of TB-DM. It is therefore important and necessary to put in place strategies to improve this level of knowledge, which will focus on the extension of the guidelines, the awareness and the training of the stakeholders involved in the control.Keywords: tuberculosis, diabetes mellitus, comorbidity, healthcare providers, knowledge
