Sample survey of awareness of symptoms and utilisation of health facilities by chest symptomatics.
Thilakavathy Subramaniam.
Indian Journal of Tuberculosis; 1990; 37; 69-71.
In the national TB Programme, case finding is 'passive' and persons with chest symptoms are expected to attend on their own for diagnosis and treatment. For the successful implementation of the programme, it is therefore, essential that chest symptomatics in the community are motivated enough to get their condition diagnosed. The Tuberculosis Research Centre, undertook a sample survey in rural, urban and metropolitan areas to identify the chest symptomatics as defined in the National TB Programme. The symptomatics were interviewed by medical social workers with a view to obtain information about the action taken for relief, the type of health facilities utilised and the reason for the choice. Questions were also asked to find out the symptomatics knowledge about tuberculosis. More than 80% of the symptomatics were aware, over 75% had taken action, although most had no idea about its causation, yet more than 90% had contacted health facilities of which one half were government.
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