LEVEL OF AWARENESS AND ATTITUDE OF STUDENTS OF HIGHER MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM OF TUBERCULOSIS

Abstract

The aim of the work – determination of the degree of students’ awareness in State Institution “Dnipropetrovsk Medical Academy of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine” about various issues of tuberculosis, their attitude to patients with tuberculosis and people who have recovered from tuberculosis, as well as studying students’ views about the relevance of this disease.

The main body. We analyzed the questionnaires of 491 students of the 4th year of medical faculties of State Institution “Dnipro­petrovsk Medical Academy of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine” at the age from 21 to 30 years. This questioning was conducted at the first practical lesson, before the beginning of the lecture cycle on Phthisiology. The majority of respondents (93.9 %) have considered the problem with tuberculosis in our country relevant and important for their future practical activities. 77.6 % of fourth-year students have noted the importance of social risk factors for the development of tuberculosis. Students have been well-oriented in the main symptoms of the disease and the ways of transmission of the infection, but have showed insufficient knowledge in the methods of detection, diagnosis, treatment of patients. In addition, students have had of fear of becoming ill while on the cycle.

Conclusions. The analysis has showed insufficient awareness of students of higher medical schools about issues of tuberculosis, low motivation to study the discipline. Students have poorly informed about methods of detection and diagnosis of the disease, its initial symptoms, high-risk groups and so on. Misunderstandings of relevance of the problem of tuberculosis and prejudiced, inhuman attitude to the patient can contribute to the formation of low doctor’s alertness to this disease in the future and prevent them from implementing the basic principles of TB control – timely detection and prevention of the disease.