Rizvi N, Hussain M.
Survey of knowledge about tuberculosis amongst family physicians..
J Pak Med Assoc Jan ;51(9):333-7.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the knowledge, attitudes and practices pertaining to tuberculosis (TB) amongst family physicians. METHOD: A questionnaire-based study in which 150 family physicians were interviewed. RESULTS: Of the family physicians 21.3% considered that TB is not a serious problem; 29% did not advise BCG vaccination as they considered that BCG vaccination has adverse side effects and limited usefulness. Only 38% depended on sputum analysis for diagnosis and 39% were prescribing four drug regimen for newly diagnosed TB patients. Majority of family physicians were prescribing the drugs that are classified currently as non-recommendable. Only 7.3% were able to write down the correct contents and quantity of tablets of what they were prescribing. CONCLUSION: There are many misunderstandings about the transmission of tuberculosis and BCG vaccinations. Method of diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of treatment by and large is not satisfactory.

PakMediNet -Pakistan's largest Database of Pakistani Medical Journals - http://www.pakmedinet.com