Prevalence and Factors Associated with Positive Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) among Medical Students at International Health Sciences University, Kampala - Uganda.

Abstract

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health issue worldwide. Medical students in TB burdened countries are thought to be at unfavorably high risk of acquiring TB since they are always in contact with these TB patients yet their safety precaution measures are minimal. This study therefore, was designed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with positive Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) among International Health Sciences University (IHSU) medical students. Methodology: This was a cross sectional experimental Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) survey involving 174 selected medical students pursuing Bachelors of Medical Laboratory Sciences (BMLS), Bachelors of Sciences in Nursing (BSN), Diploma in Clinical Medicine (DCM) and Bachelors of Sciences in Public Health (BscPH) in the academic year 2013-2014 from the first to the fourth year of their medical school. Questionnaires were given as well as administering TST to students who consented for the study. We used descriptive statistics to assess the significance of predictor variables. Dichotomous and categorical variables were tested using chi-square test and continuous variables were tested using t-tests. Results: The prevalence of positive TST among medical students was 23.1%. In year one, we found a prevalence of 11.8%; year 2 = 24.4%; year 3 = 28.3%; year 4 = 57.1%. Clinical students had a higher prevalence of positive TST (30.48%) compared to pre-clinical students (11.76%) (p = 0.004, OR=8.13). Independent predictors of positive TST were; prior clinical practice (chi = 17.45,p-value <0.0001), and household or hospital TB contact with a case of TB, (Chi = 14.1,p-value =0.0001). Conclusion: A prevalence of 23.1% TST among International Health Sciences University (IHSU) medical students indicates a possible exposure to nosocomial transmission of M. tuberculosis. The study indicated that, clinical students especially those offering Bachelors of Science in Nursing are more at risk of developing Tuberculosis (TB) compared to the pre clinical students though having knowledge or not about tuberculosis infection does not have any effect to TB contraction.