Demelash Woldeyohannes, Zeleke Hailemariam and Abdurehman Kalu
People living with HIV infection are a considerably greater risk than the general population of acquiring TB and has the greater risk for progression from latent infection to active TB disease. Increasing knowledge level of people living with HIV about Isoniazid preventive therapy is an important intervention for preventing active TB in people living with HIV. Preventing active TB among people living with HIV can prevent millions of people from being infected in the community and in health care services. Increasing knowledge level of people living with HIV about Isoniazid preventive therapy is one of the key intervention recommended by WHO to reduce the burden of TB on people living with HIV. The purpose of this study was to assess knowledge level and associated factors about Isoniazid preventive therapy among people living with HIV at Bahir Dar Town public health facilities. The institution based cross-sectional study was conducted from February to March 2014 in Bahir Dar town public health facilities. 383 people living with HIV from four ART started public health institutions were interviewed. A bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with knowledge level of people living with HIV about Isoniazid preventive therapy. The main finding of this study was 62.10% of participants had the insufficient level of knowledge about Isoniazid preventive therapy. The knowledge level of the study participants was determined by counselling given by health professionals (AOR=2.61, 95% CI: 1.61, 2.66), screened for Tuberculosis (AOR=1.75, 95% CI: 1.07, 2.87), completed primary and secondary education (AOR=1.95, 95% CI: 1.05, 3.63) and (AOR=2.72, 95% CI: 1.38, 5.39).
