Ayse Beser
KOC University, Turkey
Title: Cultural approach of society toward patients with tuberculosis: A qualitative study
Biography
Biography: Ayse Beser
Abstract
As tuberculosis is both a common and social disease, it causes individuals to fail in easily expressing their disease in society, remain in the background, get stigmatized and labeled in society. This study was aimed at evaluating the views of individuals living in urban areas of Turkey regarding tuberculosis. This qualitative study was conducted between April-May, 2015. The target population of the study consisted of healthy individuals living in the Region of Balçova and totally 26 individuals aged 18 and older without tuberculosis were included in the study by using the criterion sampling method. The data were collected via the Information Form of Socio-Demographic Features that was developed by the researchers and the semi-structured question form with totally 11 questions that was assessed by three experts for the purpose of evaluating the views of individuals regarding tuberculosis. Totally four focus group interviews with 5-6 participants were conducted by two researchers (one observer and one moderator). The interviews were recorded on tape and they were maintained until no new concept or different statement was obtained regarding the research subject and the data collection process was terminated when the data reached the saturation point. The data were analyzed by using the content analysis technique. According to the findings acquired from this study, two main themes were obtained as information about the disease and attitudes and behaviors of society. The participants stated that they did not exactly know the reasons of tuberculosis and the only information they had had been acquired from the environment. Majority of participants stated that they kept away from patients with tuberculosis. They were observed to display behaviors like avoiding sharing the same environment with patients, eating with them, kissing them, hugging them and working in the same environment with them. The employers also abstained from employing them.