Abstract:
Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the most significant threats of public health worldwide, including Thailand. This cross-sectional survey research aimed to assess factors related to tuberculosis preventive behaviors among secondary school students. The PRECEDE Framework was applied to determine the behavioral factors. The study samples comprised of 313 junior high school students in Bangkok Metropolitan. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data and was analyzed using frequency, percentage, arithmetic mean, and standard deviation; Chi-Square test and Pearson's product moment correlation Coefficient were used to test research hypotheses. Results of the study revealed that 47.6% of the sample students were male and 52.4% were female with the mean age of 14.24 years. Majority of them lived with their parents (56.5%) and 61.7% gained some knowledge about TB or communicable diseases. They had knowledge about TB at the low level (76.7%) and had the moderate level of TB prevention behaviors (50.5%). Factors that significantly associated with TB prevention behaviors were having knowledge of TB (p < 0.001), perceiving susceptibility (p < 0.001), perceived severity of TB (p < 0.001), having enabling and reinforcing factors to perform TB prevention behaviors (p < 0.001), and receiving information about TB or communicable diseases (p = 0.007). IMPLICATION OF THE THESIS: School should have explicit policy on TB prevention; providing TB information; and enhancing proper knowledge about TB. Enhancing perceived susceptibility to get TB and perceived severity of TB should be focused. TB prevention activities should be integrated into regular health curriculum and supportive of adequate TB prevention equipment for students should be concerned as needed.