Understanding illness perception in pulmonary tuberculosis patients: One step towards patient-centered care

Abstract

Background Assessing the illness perception of patients with tuberculosis (TB) could improve our understanding of their beliefs about disease and help address problems in their health-seeking behavior. Study aim We assessed illness perception in patients with pulmonary TB in association with patients’ demographic, socioeconomic, and clinical features. Methods Adult patients who were newly diagnosed with pulmonary TB at three tertiary hospitals in South Korea were included from November 2016 and September 2018. Participants’ illness perception was assessed using the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ) at the start of anti-TB treatment. Results In total, 390 patients with pulmonary TB completed this survey. The mean BIPQ score was 31.6 ± 13.2, and that was positively correlated with clinical TB scores. Patients were highly concerned about their illness, but believed in the treatment. Unhealthy eating habits were mentioned as the most prevalent perceived cause. Coughing for more than one month and alarming symptoms were significantly associated with BIPQ scores ≥ 33. Non-adherent patients had significantly higher BIPQ scores. Conclusions Assessing the illness perceptions of those with severe TB-related symptoms and signs may help to identify TB patients with vulnerable to poor treatment outcomes.

The perceived threat of COVID‐19 and its impact on hygienic precautionary behaviors: A multi‐countries study

“…The lowest score on "identity" conveys that people were ill-informed about COVID-19 pandemic. The findings of "timeline" and "concern" contradict previous study (Min et al, 2019) as the current study participants were not worried about being infected by the COVID-19 and they perceived that current pandemic will not continue for a long time, which might be caused by the culturally misleading communications about COVID-19 as noninfectious disease or a disorder without serious complications. The low score on "emotional response" dimension of the current study can be connected to less dangerous perceptions of the pandemic situation; in which feelings of anxiety or fear are less evident or the risk of contracting the COVID-19 is manageable.…”

“…In the current large scale multi‐Arab countries study, the majority of respondents showed a lower perception of illness and threat of COVID‐19 pandemic. Illness perceptions are the organized cognitive representations or beliefs that people have about their diseases, and it is an important determinant of compliance with any resulted precautionary behaviors (Min et al., 2019 ).…”

“…previously (Min et al, 2019), and understanding illness perception of people, that are often different from that of healthcare professionals, will help identify those individuals and communities with risks of noncompliance (Csenge et al, 2016). In the current large scale multi-Arab countries study, the majority of respondents showed a lower perception of illness and threat of COVID-19 pandemic.…”

The Effect of Javanese Language Videos with a Community Based Interactive Approach Method as an Educational Instrument for Knowledge, Perception, and Adherence amongst Tuberculosis Patients

“…Knowledge influences perception [ 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 ]. Perception about illness is the patient’s experience with the disease suffered and that experience will be applied to his or her condition [ 33 , 34 , 35 ].…”

Development and Psychometric Testing of the Supportive Care Needs Scale for Patients with Tuberculosis (SCN-TB)

“…2 Meanwhile, they are also asked to make numerous behavioural in dietary and lifestyle changes, and undergo multiple hospital admissions to be examined. 3,4 Thus, consistent adherence to treatment is key for TB patients to achieve good therapeutic outcomes. However, the complex treatment process may result in patients with myriad unmet supportive care needs (SCN), which in turn impair their compliance and lead to poor health outcomes.…”