“Effect of Education on Tuberculosis Control in the Eastern Region of Ghana: A Case of Lower Manya Krobo and New Juaben Municipalities”

Abstract

Tuberculosis remains a major health problem affecting about a third of the world population despite a number of preventive and control measures taken in the past few decades. Eighty-five percent of all Tuberculosis cases are concentrated in Asia and Africa due to lack of education and health infrastructure. This study examines the “effect of education on Tuberculosis control in the Eastern Region of Ghana: A case of Lower Manya Krobo and New Juaben Municipalities”. To obtain this, the study dealt with two main objectives, the study first examines the role of formal and informal education in the treatment of Tuberculosis by TB patients in Lower Manya Krobo and New Juaben Municipalities. The next objective was to find out the role of education on the prevention of Tuberculosis in Lower Manya Krobo and New Juaben Municipalities. Studies into the effect of education on TB control in Ghana have been limited. Structured questionnaires were administered to 270 TB patients and their treatment supporters (relatives) to elicit information on patient demographic data, knowledge about TB infection, treatment of TB and access to health care. The Probit regression model and Poisson regression model were employed in the estimation of the probability of TB patient on Orthodox anti-TB drug and the number of household members screened for TB respectively. However, the Negative binomial regression was also employed to account for over dispersion in the Poisson regression. Results indicate that education was positively associated with the treatment of Tuberculosis. TB patients with secondary/higher education were more likely to use Orthodox anti-TB drug. In the same way, informal means of education such as interacting with health providers, friends/families and leaflets and magazines also showed a positive effect on Orthodox anti-TB drug usage by TB patients. However, education appeared to be negatively related to its prevention, as measured by TB screening of family members. It is recommended that much attention should be paid to intensifying TB programmes; especially educating households to screen their family members of the TB disease which has a long- run effect of controlling Tuberculosis in the country. In addition, effort should also be directed at ensuring high basic education enrolment and completion which serves as a foundation for attainment of higher education in Ghana