Nutritional Status of Patient with Pulmonary Tuberculosis: Health Education for Health Support

Background: Nutritional health education plays a crucial role in improving the nutritional status of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis by promoting adequate dietary intake, enhancing immunity, and supporting treatment adherence. Aim of this study: To assess of the nutritional health status of the patients with tuberculosis. Subjects and method: Descriptive research design was used in study. This study was conducted in Chest Hospital at Assiut City. All adult patients admitted at Assiut Chest Hospital (50 patients) during the period 6 months of data collection, aged 20-65 years, male and female. Three tools were used in this study: patients assessment sheet, nutritional status assessment sheet. Result: according to age there were more than one third (46%) in age group 20>30 years, males, single, work at farm, and more than two third (68%) smokers. The majority of the patient suffered from anorexia, and night sweeting respectively. There are about two third of study sample were normal weight, according to waist and hip circumference about half of sample were low waist and hip circumference. More than half, of patient with bilateral pitting edema and emaciation. Conclusion: Most patients with pulmonary tuberculosis had a normal weight, many exhibited signs of poor nutritional status There was no statistically significant relation between BMI and demographic data. This emphasizing the need for targeted nutritional health education and support. Recommendation: there is a strong need for increasing patient awareness about tuberculosis nutritional education program and prevention.