Adherence to the covid-19 preventive practices and related factors Among patients with tuberculosis in public health facilities in Jimma town, Ethiopia: the health belief model perspective

Abstract

Background: Considering the high worldwide prevalence of tuberculosis and the increasing burden of COVID-19, the co-infection seems more likely to be a coincidental occurrence rather than a causal association. Objective: Applying the health belief model (HBM), this study assessed the adherence to COVID-19 preventive practices among patients with tuberculosis in public health facilities in Jimma town, southwest Ethiopia, in 2022. Methods and Materials: A facility-based cross-sectional study design was conducted at Jimma town public health facilities from November 20/2021 to December 20, 2021.A complete census of all the eligible participants 221 TB patients were included. The data was collected using the Adherence tool towards COVID-19 preventive practice tools through face-to-face interviews. Categorical and continuous data were described using descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, frequencies, and percentages). Multiple linear regression analysis with a significance level at a p-value of ≤ 0.05 was used to interpret associations. Results: A total of 216 participants completed the study which gives a 97.7% of response rate. The mean score of adherences of corona virus was 37.52 +11.36, stigmatized 47.5 + 11.87, susceptible 37.68+5.67, the perceived severity was 39.2 +3.64 and the perceived barrier was 70.53 + 9.34 the perceived benefits 19.47 + 3.2 perceived self-efficacy for TB patients was 11.57 + 3.37 and the TB patients' cues of action were 11.7 + 3.22 for COVID-19 preventive practice. When education is increased by one level (diploma and bachelor's degrees, respectively), adherence with COVID-19 preventive measures improves by 4.441 and 4.547 factors (B=4.441, 95% CI=0.613, 8.269, P0.023; and (B=4.547, 95% CI=0.331, 8.763, P0.035). The preventive practice increased self-efficacy by 0.875 factors (B=0.875, 95% CI= 0.321, 1.428, P0.002), and decreased by -0.323 factors for perceived barriers (B= -0.323, 95% CI=-0.530, - .116, P<0.002). Farmers' adherence to the prevention practice decreased by -4.915 factors (B=-4.915, 95% CI=-8.607, -1.224, P0.009), health workers' information increased adherence to the prevention practice by 4.348 factors (B=-4.348, 95% CI: 1.85, 6.84, P<0.001). Conclusion and recommendation: Having a diploma, a Bachelor's degree, information from health workers, and perceived self-efficacy were positively associated, however, being a farmer and perceived barriers were negatively associated with adherence to COVID-19 prevention practice. The health facilities should inform the patients of the mode of transmission and prevention of both TB and corona virus.