ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Epidemiol.
Sec. Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Volume 5 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fepid.2025.1593046
Knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding TB among senior management officials of companies with increased silica dust exposure in Lusaka and Southern provinces of Zambia
Provisionally accepted
Lilungwe Mutti1*
Mary Kagujje1Daniel Siameka1Robert Hambwalula1Minyoi Maimbolwa1Luunga Mandla Ziko1Kevin Zimba2Nancy Kasese-Chanda2Rhehab Chimzizi3Angel Mubanga4Monde Muyoyeta1- 1Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
- 2United States Agency for International Development (Zambia), Lusaka, Zambia
- 3USAID LEAP LOCAL Project, National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Program, Ministry of Health Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
- 4National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Program Ministry of Health, Lusaka, Zambia
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A high burden of tuberculosis (TB) complicated by occupational risk factors implies a need for the workplace to develop strategies to reduce workplace incidence of TB. We conducted a cross-sectional study to establish the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to TB among senior management officials of manufacturing and construction companies associated with exposure to silica dust. The study was conducted in Lusaka and Southern provinces of Zambia between February and October 2022 using a 28-question multiple-choice self-administered electronic questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to determine KAP levels. The total score in KAP was calculated based on correct responses out of a maximum of 17, 7, and 14 points, respectively and categorized into "poor" or "good" using the mean/median. Logistic regression was done to explore the association between characteristics and KAP. Of 118 participants, 48.3% were aged between 31-40 years, 86.4% were male), and 63.6% represented construction companies. The median/mean KAP scores were 8(IQR 6-10), 3.3 (SD 1.66) and 6.00 (IQR 4-8) respectively. Of the participants, only 47.5% (56/118) had good knowledge, 49.2% (58/118) had good attitudes, and 47.5% (56/118) had good practice scores. Individuals aged over 50 years old, female, and officials from construction companies had higher odds of good knowledge (aOR=7.8, p= 0.027; aOR=4.70, p=0.016 and aOR=3.45, p=0.008 respectively) and good attitude (aOR=14.64, p= 0.021; aOR=6.51, p=0.006 and aOR=3.90, p=0.006 respectively) Participants working in construction companies had higher odds of good practice (aOR=2.26, p=0.048). Senior management officials had gaps in knowledge despite having favorable attitudes and practices. Companies must be educated on TB alongside efforts to improve attitudes and practices towards TB in the workplace.
Keywords: Tuberculosis, Silicosis, Workplace, policy, knowledge, Attitude, Practice
Received: 13 Mar 2025; Accepted: 14 Oct 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Mutti, Kagujje, Siameka, Hambwalula, Maimbolwa, Ziko, Zimba, Kasese-Chanda, Chimzizi, Mubanga and Muyoyeta. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Lilungwe Mutti, lilungwemutti@gmail.com
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