Factors Accounting For Tuberculosis Stigma And Discrimination Among Health Workers. A Study In Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.

ABSTRACT Tuberculosis is one of the communicable diseases that infect people across the world. Various drugs are available for the effective management of the disease but most patients default treatment. Defaulting treatment is often attributed to the long duration of treatment and the stigma associated with the disease. Like other stigmatized diseases such as mental illness and HIV/AIDS, patients are discriminated by the family and community members. They are isolated and refused socialization with the family or community members. The stigma and discrimination is extended to health workers in the Tuberculosis unit in health facilities. Health workers in the unit are discriminated against in terms of personal development, distribution of goods, socialization, recognition and respect. This study sets out to investigate the factors accounting for the stigma and discrimination against workers of the TB unit/department by health workers with the aim of making recommendations that will help health facility managers to reduce/minimise the practice of stigmatization and discrimination at workplace. The study was carried out in Korle-Bu Teaching hospital in June 2004, using a mix of qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. The study yielded a number of findings: First, there was general awareness of TB and its management strategy- Direct Observed Treatment Short Course (DOTS) by most of the health workers in the hospital. Majority (68.5%) of the professional groups such as doctors, nurses, laboratory and radiography staff have had refresher training on TB and DOTS within the last eight (8) years. Only the non - professional groups like Ward Aides, Orderlies and Labourers never had any pre-service training or refresher training on TB. Despite this awareness and refresher trainings, the discrimination against the workers of the TB unit was prevalent among all the groups.