Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Trachoma Among Final-Year Clinical Medicine Students in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Trachoma continues to pose a serious concern as one of the leading causes of blindness globally, particularly in areas with poor access to healthcare and hygiene services. Despite its importance, there is a conspicuous paucity of thorough data on medical students' awareness and attitudes toward trachoma. To fill this gap, a study was done to investigate the knowledge and attitudes toward trachoma among final-year clinical medicine students at Dar es Salaam Colleges, shedding light on the awareness levels and attitudes of this key group of future healthcare practitioners.

METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at three colleges, with 384 individuals recruited using simple random selection for a questionnaire survey. Self-administered questionnaires were used to assess the knowledge and attitudes of trachoma among final-year clinical medicine students in Dar es Salaam colleges. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the chi-square test to summarize the students' knowledge and attitudes toward trachoma. A p value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS: The study revealed that nearly half of the participants (49%) had a low level of knowledge about trachoma prevention, while approximately 43% held negative attitudes toward it. Significant associations were found between knowledge level and age (p = 0.037) as well as sex (p = 0.039). Notably, females and individuals aged 25-29 years demonstrated lower levels of knowledge.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: A significant number of medical students had low knowledge about trachoma and harbored negative attitudes toward its prevention. Consequently, ongoing education and training are essential to enhance understanding among current students, alongside incorporating case studies for practical application.