Correct Knowledge about Tuberculosis and Determinants among People Living with HIV Attending a District Antiretroviral Treatment Center in the State of Karnataka, India

Tuberculosis (TB) is a major global public health concern. People living with HIV (PLHIV) are at an increased risk of developing active TB, with a 20-fold higher risk compared with those without HIV infection. Gaps in TB knowledge among PLHIV patients have been linked to delays in the diagnosis of TB and poor adherence to TB medications, resulting in substantial morbidity and mortality. In the current study, the correct knowledge of TB and its determinants among PLHIV patients attending a district antiretroviral therapy (ART) center in Karnataka, India, was assessed. A cross-sectional study was conducted at a district ART facility in Karnataka between October 2022 and April 2023. A pretested questionnaire was used to gather data, and SPSS version 29.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) was used for analysis. The proportion of PLHIV with correct TB knowledge and sources was expressed in percentages. Associations between correct TB knowledge and sociodemographic variables were assessed using χ2 and Fisher's tests. Among 432 participants, 222 (51.4%) were male, and 191 (44.1%) had education beyond high school. Correct TB knowledge was found in 253 (58.5%) participants and was significantly associated with educational status, monthly family income, source of TB information, TB preventive treatment intake, and public attitude stigma in multivariate analysis. Healthcare workers were the primary source of correct TB knowledge for 388 (97.4%) participants. This study highlights the need to strengthen TB education and awareness among PLHIV to improve their health-seeking behavior and facilitate early TB detection.