Support system, knowledge, and compliance with tuberculosis (TB) treatment among older persons in a selected Rural Health Unit (RHU) in Iloilo

Abstract

The researchers aimed to understand the support system, knowledge, and compliance with tuberculosis (TB) treatment among older persons in a selected Rural Health Unit(RHU) in the province of Iloilo. With the initial population of 212 individuals, the researchers were able to select 139 older persons with random sampling and utilizing a descriptive-correlational research design. The researcher-made questionnaire has 29items, with 8 items for the level of support system, 12 for knowledge, and 9 for compliance. A small-scale group was given a pilot test for reliability. Expert validators in the fields of public health and nursing have tested the research instrument's validity. In order to minimize potential recall bias, the collection of data was done over one month. With the assistance of appropriate statistical software, the data collected from the respondents were interpreted in a descriptive and inferential statistical analysis where the interpretations generally imply that the older persons diagnosed with Tuberculosis(TB) have a high level of support system, denoting that strong social networks a represent. The respondents reported a moderate level of knowledge regarding TB, indicating gaps in health education efforts. However, the majority of respondents exhibited a low level of compliance with treatment, suggesting potential barriers to adherence despite knowledge and support. There is a significant relationship between support system and compliance, indicating that individuals with stronger support networks are more likely to comply with treatment. There is also a significant relationship between knowledge and compliance, suggesting that better understanding of TB and its treatment is associated with improved adherence.