Tuberculosis and Behavioural Risk Factors: The Case of NorthWestern Nigeria

Behavioural risk factors affect the spread of diseases, particularly infectious diseases like tuberculosis (TB), the transmission which is associated with several factors, including consumption of unpasteurised milk. The few studies that have been conducted on the role of behavioural risk factors on disease transmission in North-western Nigeria are also inconclusive. This study, therefore, examined the prevalence of pulmonary TB in the region with a focus on these factors, using a survey design and the disease ecology concept as the framework. Random sampling was used to collect data from the records of 15 Directly Observed Therapy Short-course (DOTS) centres along Fulani route of seasonal migration. A structured questionnaire was administered to 461 selected patients, and data collected on behavioural risk factors included „visits to health centre to treat TB‟, „smoking‟ and „consumption of unpasteurized milk‟ as well as perceived causes of the disease. Simple Linear Regression and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used to analyze data at p<0.05. Results of the regression showed „ever visited a health centre to treat TB‟ with the highest contribution (Beta=0.853), followed by „ever been a smoker‟ (Beta=0.953) for the behavioural factors; whist heredity (Beta=0.265) and God‟s wish (Beta=0.229) were perceived as the main causes of TB. There was no statistical significance of both the behavioural [F (15,44)=1.397; p=0.191] and perceived [F (19,130)=0.525, p=0.947] factors. It was concluded that behavioural factors do not affect the prevalence of TB in North-western Nigeria. Thus, cognizance needs to be taken of other factors in TB monitoring and control within the region.