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Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 79(4), 2008, pp. 545-551
Copyright © 2008 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

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Prevalence of Tuberculosis Suspects and Their Healthcare-seeking Behavior in Urban and Rural Jordan

Khaled Abu Rumman, Nadia Abu Sabra, Faris Bakri, Akihiro Seita, AND Amal Bassili*
National Tuberculosis Control Programme, Amman, Jordan; Jordan University Hospital, Amman, Jordan; Stop Tuberculosis, Regional Office of the Eastern Mediterranean, Cairo, Egypt

To determine the prevalence and healthcare-seeking behavior of tuberculosis (TB) suspects in Middle and South Jordan. A community-based survey was carried out between June–September 2005, whereby 61,730 adult household members were inquired about the presence of persistent cough for more than three weeks to identify TB suspects. These adults were then interviewed and referred to the nearest health center for clinical and sputum smear examination. Of the 61,730 surveyed household members, 1,544 (2.51%) were identified as TB suspects, of these two were sputum smear positive pulmonary TB. The first action with the onset of symptoms was to visit the health centers. Reasons for timely seeking care were accessibility of the facilities and confidence in obtaining a cure, and obstacles were belief that symptoms would resolve and economic constraints in rural residents. Females, rural residents, expatriates, and using private means of transportation were predictors of delay in seeking care for more than three weeks. This study has set the baseline information about the prevalence of TB suspects in Jordan and their healthcare-seeking behavior that shows community preference to seek care at health centers. These should be upgraded and the health workers trained on suspect management to enhance the TB elimination efforts.

Received April 3, 2008. Accepted for publication June 20, 2008.

Acknowledgments: We thank Dr. Imad Husni, Khawla Abu Kbeer, Ned’a’a Karqesh, Nayfeh Alaween, Maryam Joudeh, Aydah Abdul Wahed, Samiha Abu Ajameyeh, Ahmad Al-Sokhni, and Bdoor Rahamneh for their participation in the field teams.

Financial support: This study received technical and financial support from the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (EMRO)/Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) small grants scheme for operational research in tropical and other communicable diseases.

* Address correspondence to Amal Bassili, Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office of the World Health Organization, Abdulrazak Sanhouri St., P.O. box 7608 Nasr City, Cairo 11371, Egypt. E-mail: bassilia{at}emro.who.int

Authors’ addresses: Khaled Abu Rhuman and Nadia Abu Sabra, National TB Control Programme, Amman, Jordan. Faris Bakri, Jordan University Hospital, Amman, Jordan. Akihiro Seita and Amal Bassili, Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office of the World Health Organization, Abdulrazak Sanhouri St., P.O. box 7608 Nasr City, Cairo 11371, Egypt, Tel: 00-202-276-5275, Fax: 00-202-276-5414, E-mail: bassilia{at}emro.who.int.






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Copyright © 2008 by the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.