Family and Community Support of TB Patients -Jebel Awleyah Locality-Khartoum Sudan -2011

Abstract

Family and community support are always considered as essential factors need to facilitate coping of the patients with their disease and its outcome. In Sudan the family and ties are still firm. However family and community support for TB patients may not always be encountered to the same extent especially among urban populations. The design was facility-based descriptive. The study was conducted in Gebel Awleyah Locality, which is geographically located in the South of the National Capital of Sudan. The study population was composed of 348 TB patients (pulmonary and extra-pulmonary) in the TBMUs receiving DOT in the intensive phase. A Standardized pre-coded and pre tested administered questionnaire was used for data collection from the TB patients. 99% of the TB patients were supported by their families as they became sick. The family support was expressed in accompanying to the TBMU (96%) and in provision of extra food (99%). The family support in cash was encountered for about 73% of the TB patients. About 31% of the TB patients were supported by the community and 69% of them were not supported. For those TB patients, who were subjected to community support, were mainly supported by their neighbors (98%). The TB patients of both genders were supported by their families mainly by their bothers. The family support was marked in accompanying to the TBMUs and provision of extra food.