Diagnosing pulmonary tuberculosis in children under the age of five in South Africa

Abstract

A quantitative, non-experimental, descriptive design was used to investigate the challenges of diagnosing pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in children under the age of five at 19 primary healthcare (PHC) clinics in the Ethekwini Health District in KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. A questionnaire was used to collect data from 38 respondents and descriptive statistics were used to analyse and summarise the data. The results showed PHC nurses did not have adequate knowledge to effectively diagnose PTB in children, and that PHC clinics were not adequately equipped to effectively diagnose PTB in children. Recommendations included regular in-service training programmes on the diagnosis and management of PTB in children, regular audits of tuberculosis records by clinic supervisors, supply of standard equipment for diagnosis of PTB in children, simplifying of protocols for diagnosis and management of PTB in children and the inclusion of the management of PTB in children in the curriculum of professional nurses' training.