Factors Associated with Preventive Behaviors against Pulmonary Tuberculosis Infection among Household Contacts of Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients Receiving Treatment at Thammasat University Hospital

Abstract

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a major communicable disease that poses significant global and national public health challenges. TB can affect any organ in the body and is easily transmitted through airborne droplets from infected individuals. Approximately one-third of the global population is infected with TB, including both symptomatic and asymptomatic cases.

Objective: To examine the factors associated with preventive behaviors against pulmonary tuberculosis infection among household contacts of pulmonary TB patients undergoing treatment at Thammasat University Hospital.

Research Methodology: This study employs a descriptive research design. The sample consists of household members who have close contact with newly diagnosed pulmonary TB patients, as identified by the patients themselves within the first two months of treatment registration at Thammasat University Hospital. Data collection was conducted from October 1, 2023, to February 2024, with a total of 166 participants selected based on specific inclusion criteria. The research instruments included a general information questionnaire and structured questionnaires assessing predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing factors, as well as preventive behaviors against pulmonary TB. The reliability of the research instruments was verified, yielding a Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient of 0.84. Data analysis included frequency distribution, mean, standard deviation, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient to assess the relationship between predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing factors and TB preventive behaviors.

Results: Overall, predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing factors influencing TB prevention among participants were found to be at a high level. The correlation analysis demonstrated that predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing factors were positively and significantly associated with preventive behaviors against tuberculosis at statistical significance levels of 0.05, 0.01, and 0.01, respectively.

Conclusion: The findings suggest that predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing factors can serve as a basis for planning behavioral modification strategies to raise awareness and enhance TB prevention among household contacts of TB patients.