Master's Theses

Document Type

Thesis - campus only access

Date of Award

Summer 1993

Degree Name

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

Department

Nursing

Advisor

Eileen Deges Curl

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) persists as a serious public health problem, both in the United States and around the world. International students are one of the high risk groups to contract TB. Studying their health beliefs and compliance with TB skin testing may provide valuable Information for community health nurses. The purpose of this investigation was to study perceived threat of TB and compliance with TB skin testing among international college students studying I n the mid-western region of the United States. Becker's Health Belief Model (1974) served as the theoretical framework for this investigation. Using Becker's framework, perceived susceptibility, perceived seriousness, and perceived threat of disease were selected as variables which might explain, in part, variance in compliant TB screening behavior among international college students. On the basis of Becker's theoretical model, the investigation explored differences in perceived susceptibility, perceived seriousness, and perceived threat of TB between those who were compliant with TB skin testing and those who were not. One hundred sixty-two (56.6%) out of 286 international college students participated in this investigation. All subjects completed an Informed Consent Form, Information Sheet, and two subscales of the Champion (1987) Health Belief Model Scale (CHBMS). Perceived threat of TB was measured by combing two subscales (perceived susceptibility and perceived seriousness) of the CHBMS. The Investigator measured compliance with TB skin testing by examining students' health records at the Student Health Center, and recorded the data on the Tang TB Compliance Form. Subjects compliant with TB skin testing had slightly higher perceived susceptibility, perceived seriousness, and perceived threat scores than subjects non-compliant with TB skin testing. Although t-test analysis found no significant difference in perceived susceptibility, perceived seriousness, and perceived threat of TB between those who were compliant with TB skin testing and those who were not. However, a highly significant relationship (p<.001) was found between those students who complied with TB skin testing and those students who remembered receiving a letter from the International Student Advisor recommending the skin testing. Based on the findings, clients' compliance behaviors may increase by receiving formal written instructions from health care providers. Future research replicating this investigation should consider using a larger probability sample to study international students' health beliefs and compliance behaviors. In addition, future research using qualitative methods may provide information about the dynamic, holistic, and individual aspects of the international students' cultural beliefs toward TB screening behaviors.

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Rights

© 1993 Woung-ru Tang

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