Americans’ Knowledge and Perceived Risk of Tuberculosis

Abstract Tuberculosis (TB) has resurged as a major public
health problem in the United States, but there is minimal
information on the public’s knowledge of TB. The general
population must become aware of the seriousness of the
reemergence of TB. Using data from the National Health
Interview Survey Supplement, this study examined knowledge
and perceived risk of TB of 14,727 U.S. respondents. Results
demonstrated some general knowledge of TB, several misconceptions,
and low concern regarding their risk of contracting TB.
Only 10.2% of the respondents perceived risk for themselves.
Respondents reported perceived knowledge of TB at a high level,
while their actual knowledge was lower. Gender, education,
income, and ethnicity were associated with knowledge and
perceived risk. Older people responded correctly to questions
about TB knowledge more often than younger people. Conclusions
were that public health nursing efforts need to be redirected
toward health education regarding TB risk and spread, complementing
existing screening and therapy programs.