Table 5 Assessment of communities’ stigma towards TB & TB patients in Shinile town, Somali regional state, eastern Ethiopia from January to May, 2013
Variables | Number (%) of male | Number (%) of female | Total number (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
Do you know people who have/had TB? | |||
Yes | 123 (59.7) | 124 (60.8) | 247 (60.2) |
No | 41 (19.9) | 41 (20.1) | 82 (20.0) |
Don’t know | 42 (20.4) | 39 (19.1) | 81 (19.8) |
How is your feeling towards people with TB disease? | |||
“I feel compassion and desire to help.” | 88 (42.7) | 72 (39.3) | 160 (39.0) |
“I feel compassion but stay away from them.” | 9 (4.4) | 15 (7.4) | 24 (5.9) |
“It is their problem and I cannot get TB.” | 1 (0.5) | 3 (1.5) | 4 (1.0) |
“I fear them because they may infect me.” | 12 (5.8) | 15 (7.4) | 27 (6.6) |
“I have no particular feeling.” | 89 (43.2) | 85 (41.7) | 174 (42.4) |
In your community, how is a person who has TB usually regarded/treated? | |||
Most people reject him or her | 9 (4.4) | 7 (3.4) | 16 (3.9) |
Most people are friendly, but they generally try to avoid him or her | 11 (5.3) | 20 (9.8) | 31 (7.6) |
Mostly supports and helps him or her | 103 (50.0) | 109 (53.4) | 212 (51.7) |
Other (don’t know their feeling, not sure whether they help or not, don’t give special attention, etc.) | 75 (36.4) | 54 (26.5) | 129 (31.5) |