Knowledge about tuberculosis transmission among ever-married women in Bangladesh

To identify the level of knowledge about TB transmission among ever-married women aged 15-49 years (n = 10 996) in Bangladesh, one of the highest tuberculosis (TB) burden countries.

We analysed data from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey conducted in 2007. Covariate factors included age, district, urban/rural residence, marital status, education, husband's education and access to the media (television, radio, newspaper/magazine). Bivariate and multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed to find the correlates of correct knowledge of TB transmission.

Knowledge about TB transmission was correctly reported by approximately 7.0% of women, and was significantly associated with education, district and access to media using multinomial logistic regression. The likelihood of correct knowledge was 3.5 times (OR 3.5, 95%CI 2.5-4.9) higher among women with ≥11 years of education than among women with no/primary education. A significantly higher OR for correct knowledge of TB transmission (OR 1.5, 95%CI 1.2-1.9) was found among women who watched television almost every day compared to women who watched less than once a week.

Correct knowledge about TB transmission was very low among married women in Bangladesh. Factors such as education and access to media, especially television, could play an important role in improving knowledge about TB transmission among women in Bangladesh.